When September Ends
by Lady Henrietta
Summary: AU. Spoilers through season 3: Roslin returns from New Caprica with additional burdens and an additional guest. AR
1. Children of the Exodus

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. "When September Ends" is by Green Day, from the montage by Roslin14.

When September Ends

Chapter 1: Children of the Exodus

He had wanted to greet her personally, but the crowd had prevented that, carrying him out on their shoulders. Hair freshly cut and moustache shaved, he made his way to _Colonial One_, hoping that she was not too busy to see him. Word had quickly gotten out that Tom Zarek had appointed her as his vice president.

Laura Roslin had just finished her discussion with Tory Parker, asking the younger woman to continue in her newly acquired duty for a while, when Admiral Adama requested permission to dock. She smiled at hearing his voice and said that he could. However, the smile faded as she waited, knowing what she had to tell him.

After what felt like only seconds, he was standing at her doorway, waiting patiently for her to let him enter. She eyed him from his boots to his face. He took in her appearance as well. Hair washed, back in a blouse and skirt, she sat prim and proper as usual.

_Summer has come and passed  
The innocent can never last  
wake me up when September ends_

Each could only look silently at the other. She slowly stood, but he finally broke the silence. "May I come in or not?" he teased.

She smiled broadly, hearing his gravely voice again. "Of course, Bill," she relayed when she found her voice. "How's your hand?"

He glanced down at the gauze mess that Dr. Cottle had cleaned and tightened. "It's not so bad." He took a few steps into the room, but she met him halfway. Now standing only inches apart, both looked aside, fumbling at the next course of action. At last she was able to meet his smoky blue eyes as he met her emerald green ones.

_like my fathers come to pass  
seven years has gone so fast  
wake me up when September ends_

"I missed you," she choked, her voice thick with emotion.

"I missed you too," he admitted.

Both seemed to initiate the tentative hug, but it morphed into a firm embrace. Managing to ignore the pain in her spine, she could smell wool and aftershave as she buried her face in his shoulder. His good hand wove its way into her hair. At last they separated and Roslin took a deep breath.

"Sit down, Bill. We've got a lot to talk about," she stated.

He nodded and sat in the leather chair that Tory had vacated. Roslin sat next to him in the adjacent chair. "I'm sorry we had to leave all of you down there," he remarked, not facing her.

She rested a hand on his knee. "You did what you had to do to prepare for battle, and you came back."

He placed a hand on top of hers. "If there'd been some other way-"

"You would've found it," she interjected. Then she reached for the picture on her desk of Maya and Hera. "Bill, I have something to tell you, something you might even hate me for."

Seeing the pensive look in her eyes, he stated, "I promise that I could never hate you."

_here comes the rain again  
falling from the stars  
drenched in my pain again  
becoming who we are_

She swallowed and disengaged her hand from his. "Don't make promises you can't keep. The picture is of Maya, you remember her. This isn't her baby though. She had a miscarriage and was willing when I asked her to watch this other child. The Agathons' daughter didn't die. We switched her."

He could only stare at her incredulously, as if she had passed off her stay on New Caprica as a chamalla haze. "What right did you have to go around switching children? Do you have any idea of the loss those two went through? Laura, what in the deities' names were you thinking?" he demanded.

_as my memory rests  
but never forgets what I lost  
wake me up when September ends_

Hot anger was what she saw in his eyes as she attempted to formulate an answer. "We didn't know if Hera could be controlled by the Cylons, if the Cylons would coerce Lieutenant Agathon to kill her, or if she would be used in some cruel experiments. In a backwards way, it was done to protect her."

"Why didn't you come to me about this?" he interrogated.

"You wouldn't have understood. You weren't down there!" she had said it without thinking and immediately regretted it, seeing hurt in his eyes now as well as his irritation with her. "Bill, I didn't mean to-"

"You're right. I wasn't down there. I still want to know though what possessed you to take the child away from her parents," he drilled. "You have no way of understanding how painful the loss of a child is!"

"We were afraid, for ourselves, and for her," she admitted quietly.

Curbing his anger a bit, he took a deep breath to calm himself. "And where is she now?"

Roslin's eyes misted over. "We don't exactly her were know. Maya was found dead and the child is missing," she paused and let a few tears slip through. "So all of our efforts to protect her were for nothing."

_summer has come and passed  
the innocent can never last  
wake me up when September ends_

Seeing her genuine regret softened him slightly. "Is there anything else I should know about?" he probed.

Wiping her eyes, she nodded and made a move to push the button for the intercom. "Tory, send her in please," Roslin requested. "You might need to amend the last thing you said."

Adama watched with curiosity as Tory entered the room partly leading a little girl, who could not have been more than three years old, with the same fiery auburn hair as Roslin's. The girl left Tory and bolted for Roslin exclaiming, "Mommy!" as Roslin scooped the girl up onto her lap.


	2. Bittersweet

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. The 'maturation chamber' was from the Borg and the other device was used on Chief O'Brien in the Star Trek Deep Space Nine episode, "Hard Time." "When September Ends" is by Green Day, from the montage by Roslin14.

Chapter 2: Bittersweet

What was even more perplexing about the little girl were her eyes. Looking into her eyes, Adama saw what could have been his own eyes looking back. "What… how… who…" was all that he articulated.

Roslin situated the little girl on her lap and then faced him. "This is Evelyn, or Evie." She turned her attention back to the girl. "Sweetie, can you say 'hi' to Admiral Adama?"

"Bill," he told her.

She nodded and said, "Hi Bill," before curling up more on Roslin's lap.

Evie then looked over at him again and smiled. "What's 'admiral?'" she asked him.

"What's 'an' admiral," Roslin gently corrected.

He smiled back. "It means that I watch over a bunch of ships," he simplified.

"Oh," Evie responded.

Tory returned not a minute later. "I found what she keeps calling her 'bear.' Madame Pr- Laura, it's Evie's naptime," she mentioned to Roslin. It was a crudely sewn stuffed animal made out of what was once a pillow case.

The older woman nodded. "Yes, of course."

After Tory had left the room with the girl, Adama spoke. "I'm sure you're going to explain this, since you can't use the presidential excuse again just yet."

_ring out the bells again  
like we did when spring began  
wake me up when September ends_

Roslin crossed her knees and folded her hands before speaking. "I'll admit that the bear wasn't my best sewing job, but I used what was on hand," she paused, knowing that he was not referring to the bear. "I was in one of their detention facilities, to which several of us were taken, I learned about a top-secret cloning experiment. Not even most of the Cylons knew about it. There was a laboratory that contained every bit of research and only three Cylons were working on it: a Brother Cavil, a Doral, and a Number Six," she began.

"Then how did you find out about it?" he questioned.

_here comes the rain again  
falling from the stars  
drenched in my pain again  
becoming who we are_

"I sneaked into the facility on a reconnaissance mission and found a false wall by accident. I ended up in the lab, but they caught me. I suspect that these new experiments in cloning were to make copies of us with programmed instructions so that we would not know who was really a Cylon," she told him.

His brow furrowed skeptically. "How did they intent to age these clones?"

_as my memory rests  
but never forgets what I lost  
wake me up when September ends_

She sat back in her chair, grimacing with discomfort. "They had some sort of mechanical box, called a 'maturation chamber,' or something like that. But they were still researching how to speed up the process. They were even experimenting with artificial wombs to aid the development."

"And the clones' mental capacity?" he pursued.

"It was an ingenious piece of technology, really. I think that the plans to this device as well as the invention itself were all restricted to the lab. As for how the device worked, when pressed to the skin of the temple, it generated and linked to impulses of the brain that stimulate and induce dreaming. The device could implant a few years of memories in a few days," she explained.

"Where is all this technology now?" he inquired.

"Saul and I saw to it that the whole place was blown to rubble. Letting the Cylons have the ability to clone us was far too dangerous. You're probably wondering how I got out of there. Evie was one of only three samples that they had taken from three different people. She managed to survive the other two and I couldn't just let her be killed. The resistance had distracted the Cylons from outside. The ones in the lab left to see what the commotion was and forgot about me," she relayed.

"She called you 'Mommy.' Shouldn't she have your childhood memories?" he continued.

"The whole process was in the beginning stages. They were testing it with memories that they could invent, using me as her mother. Then they were going to layer my memories on top of those so that she would think that she was me. Everything was still an experiment," she relayed.

He folded his hands and studied her as he processed all that she had told him. "Why was she the one who survived, and if she's your clone why aren't her eyes green?"

Roslin looked down at her hands for a moment. "The Cylons were playing with genetics on a sub-microscopic level before they had the embryos ready for development. Her eye color actually belonged to my grandfather. I think they still don't fully understand human genetics and it was an accident on their part. She survived probably because her development was not in one of the artificial wombs," Roslin paused and slowly faced him. "They found a way to accelerate the pregnancy and used me as their guinea pig."

_Summer has come and passed  
The innocent can never last  
wake me up when September ends_

The realization of what horrors she must have been through flashed in his eyes and he was quiet for a while. "So technically she really is your daughter," he stated.

She nodded. "Yes, aged and given the mental capacity fitting her age."

"And what do you intend to do now?" he asked.

Running a hand through her hair, her eyes took on a blank look. "I don't know."

_like my father's come to pass  
twenty years has gone so fast  
wake me up when September ends  
wake me up when September ends  
wake me up when September ends_

(My thanks to anastasia1583, Mariel3, carolann, TV1524, and Lavender Kate for reviewing :D)


	3. Today's complexities

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. This chapter takes place during "Collaborators." "Wolf's Rain: Gravity" is by Maaya Sakamoto and Youko Kanno from BSGRPApollo's montage.

Chapter 3: Today's complexities

He searched her eyes, seeing the emotional weight of all that she had told him. Gently he took hold of one of her hands and squeezed it. "You've been through a lot worse. We'll figure this out."

She smiled slightly, noting that he did not seem angry with her anymore. "We?" she probed.

Brushing back a stray hair that had fallen in her eyes, he smiled back. "You are my friend. Despite all we've been through, that part hasn't changed. I really don't like how you handled the situation with the Agathons' child, but I'm not going to hold a grudge, not when you need some extra help."

"Thank you," she conveyed quietly.

"You're welcome. Have you thought about saying the girl was an orphan you took in? It wouldn't be unheard of," he suggested.

She shook her head. "Evie looks too much like me. It wouldn't work."

"Say you have a niece then. Make something up about a sibling who wanted nothing to do with you," he recommended.

Thinking for a moment, a solution surfaced in her mind. "I could say that my sister had to adopt a child out due to personal reasons and on New Caprica I found the child."

"It might be plausible. Tory could help you go over your story so there aren't any holes in it," he added. As she shifted her position to cross her legs, he noticed her wincing. "Looks like you could use a trip to Life Station."

She sighed through her teeth. "I suppose it would be a good idea. I didn't really have time before…" she trailed off.

_been a long road to follow_

_been there and gone tomorrow_

_without saying goodbye to yesterday_

Worry was etched into his face. "When did you escape?" he probed.

There was a moment of hesitation. "Saul rescued us two days before you came back," she admitted.

Gently grasping her arm, he persuaded her to stand. "Then you're coming to Life Station, no arguments."

Dr. Cottle kept giving her 'the look' as he examined her injuries. "You need to tell me what they did to your back," he ordered. Adama had decided to return to CIC, promising to meet with her again later.

Reluctantly she explained to him the damage of the cloning experiments that the Cylons had been performing. "I suppose I'm lucky that I can still walk," she stated.

A realization occurred to the doctor and he stepped into her view. "If they did all that to you," he paused and leaned closer to whisper, "then where's the clone?"

She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed heavily. "She's taking a nap and Tory is looking after her," Roslin explained.

Cottle snorted. "Are you telling me that the clone's not full-grown? I thought the Cylons didn't do things halfway."

"She's about three years old," Roslin relayed.

He was trying not to smirk at the absurdity of the situation. "So you're telling me that instead of a clone, you've got a daughter?"

_are the memories I hold still valid?_

_or have the tears deluded them?_

Roslin rolled her eyes. "Yes, that would be a fairly adequate statement."

Cottle regained his professionalism as she heard him say "Hmm." After another pause, he handed her a few pain killers in pill form. "Take these twice a day. When I get your blood work back, I might have to give you something stronger. And I want you to bring the girl in so I can examine her, make sure everything's stable."

Roslin nodded reluctantly. "Sneaking her on the ship should be interesting."

Cottle fished a cigarette out of his pocket. "You telling me that you and Bill didn't come up with a plan yet? Young lady, sometimes you surprise me."

"We were thinking of saying that she was my niece, that I had a sister who gave the girl up for adoption and I found the girl on New Caprica. I wish we had a more stable plan," she mentioned.

"Actually I think it'll work. I've had a few people find relatives lately," Cottle told her.

She smiled politely and prepared to leave. "Thanks Jack," she stated.

He lit his cigarette after she had gone. "I hope they know what they're doing," he mumbled.

Using the 'niece' plan, Roslin was able to quietly pass the girl off as a relative. Tory would look after Evie some of the time, and there was a former meeting room on _Galactica_ that had been converted into a daycare center. Only one reporter questioned the girl's presence as Roslin stepped aboard Galactica. Adama greeted her and grinned when Evie hugged his legs.

_maybe this time tomorrow_

_the rain will cease to follow_

"You'd better be careful she doesn't do that with the whole fleet," he joked.

Roslin took Evie's little hand in hers. "She only does that with you. Tory won't let her get that close," she commented quietly as the aide was out of earshot.

They entered his quarters and she set Evie down on the couch. Adama noticed that the only thing the girl had with her was a stuffed bear-like animal. Not wanting to step on Roslin's toes too much, he merely mentioned, "I think I have some crayons she can use."

Roslin smiled gratefully. "Thank you. That would be fine. I could even draw her a picture that she could color if you have paper."

He retrieved a small box of crayons that had fallen to the bottom of a desk drawer some years ago while she used a pencil to draw a few animals. They stood back while Evie sat on the floor coloring. Roslin folded her hands and took a deep breath. "Jack wants to see her later to make sure at everything's alright."

_and the mist will fade into one more today_

_something somewhere out there keeps calling_

Adama simply looked from the girl to her mother. "She seems fine. The question is how are you holding up?"

Roslin ran a hand through her hair, leaning on the desk. "I haven't a clue what I'm doing. I don't know how to be a parent. I don't even have anything for her to play with."

"You taught kindergarten. Surely you have some ideas," he pointed out.

She shook her head. "It isn't the same. I understand basic care, and I know how to educate, but there's a difference between having thirty children in a classroom for six hours and having your own child all the time."

He smirked and decided to take pity on her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've handled much worse. If you want, I'll help you find some things for her to play with. At that age, she doesn't need something complex," he told her.

Roslin looked over at him. "Got any more advice on raising children? I'm going to have to introduce her to the Quorum when they give me back my job."

"I wish I had better advice. I wasn't the best father to Lee and his brother," Adama stated. He had moved so that his arm was draped around her shoulders. She leaned into him.

"I'm not asking for the prize winning guidebook to parenthood, Bill," she goaded him. "I'm just asking for something tangible."

He held her close as they watched Evie, who was engrossed in coloring and could not have cared less if everything were suddenly under attack. "She seems to have a long attention span, which is good. The best advice I can give you is to love her. Be with her when she cries, when she's afraid of the dark. Answer her questions as best you can when she asks about things in books you've forgotten about. Stay with her when she's sick. Let her know you're interested in her life."

Roslin was genuinely listening to him, but she was also enjoying the gravely tone of his voice. She had missed it, missed him. "You're better at giving advice than you think," she relayed.

"You're just telling me that, hoping that compliments will stop me from lecturing you regarding decisions for the fleet we'll be making," he teased.

Slowly they separated and she picked up one of the files on his desk. "Zarek will probably end up as vice president when I'm reinstated," she told Adama.

"I wish you'd reconsider that one," he grumbled.

"He's a changed man. New Caprica changed everyone down there," she relayed.

"I still don't trust him. And I seriously hope you never let him baby-sit for you," Adama advised.

Roslin smiled at how protective Adama had become. "Don't worry. I'd much rather have you baby-sit her once in a while"

Adama grinned wryly. "Only if it's here and not in CIC."

She smiled in return as they looked at the files. He noticed how she continued to shift uncomfortably, but decided to ask her later. The first order of business appeared to be tallying up survivors. Some of the notes in the folders were Roslin's and some were from people at the farther reaches of New Caprica. Tallying the remaining civilian population was not as complicated as it had first appeared. Officers had taken roll on their vessels to the point of accuracy where almost everyone had been accounted, minus the casualties from the planet.

With such accuracy, it soon became evident that there was a problem. "Bill, we're missing thirteen people. They were the survivors from the planet, but now they're missing," she pointed out.

He could see that she was correct. "I'll get security to look into this immediately," he responded. After he made a few phone calls, Roslin decided that it was time to take Evie to Life Station.

_am I going home?_

_will I hear someone singing solace to the silent moon?_

Roslin held her as he took a sample of blood. She told the girl a story while they waited for the results. Cottle returned and showed her a file. "She has some sort of upgraded immunities. But that's not what I wanted to show you. Phenotypically, meaning visually speaking, she is an exact copy of you, or will be when she's older except for the eyes. However, genetically, her pattern deviates from yours enough to see a difference if I had to test for it in a larger group of people."

"The Cylons were in the early stages of figuring out cloning. I'm glad that it's traceable," she commented.

The old doctor nodded, and then picked up Roslin's file. "Now that she's done, we can talk about your problems. Laura, you're gonna need some spinal surgery and a few rods in place to repair the damage they did to you. I think it'd be best to do it while everyone's still regrouping and you're not the most pertinent news topic yet," he advised.

She frowned at him. "But I don't have time-"

"Make time," he interrupted. "If you don't do this soon, it's gonna effect your ability to walk," he warned.

She glanced over at her daughter, who was having fun stretching out a rubber glove. "I'll make the necessary preparations," she replied with a sigh.

As the day wore on, she was about to explain her situation to Tory when her phone on _Colonial One_ rang. "Yes?"

_zero gravity what's it like?_

_am I alone?_

"Laura, you'd better come over here," Adama recommended.

"Have we found out who's behind the disappearances?" she questioned.

"Yes, and I'm afraid it's a bigger situation than we first thought," he relayed.

"I'll be right there," she told him, hanging up the phone.

_is somebody there beyond these heavy aching feet_

Tory watched Evie while Roslin met Adama in his quarters, noting that Colonel Tigh was there too. Adama spoke when she had seated herself. "Saul and a few others were part of a group appointed by_President_ Zarek to find and put to a small trial those that collaborated with the Cylons."

"But where did they all go?" she probed.

He glanced at Tigh and took a deep breath. "Most of them were found guilty and airlocked."

_still the road keeps on telling me to go on_

She stood and paced a few times. "There's got to be a way to stop this." Then the solution came to her. First though, she needed a word with Zarek.

They met on _Colonial One_. She stood in front of him while he sat. "How could you do this?" she demanded.

He put his hands up in defense. "I was giving the people what they wanted. You've got a lot of people who are demanded retribution."

She shook her head adamantly. "No. This will turn into a witch hunt because people want a vendetta. We already lost too many people. This stops here."

_something is pulling me_

_I feel the gravity of it all_

As she was sworn in as president for the second time, Roslin issued a full pardon for the sake of keeping peace in the fleet. Collecting Evie from Tory, Roslin allowed the admiral to escort her to the docking bay. She would put off the press interviews until tomorrow. She faced him as they neared the Raptor, as if to ask, _Did I do the right thing?_

He gave her a small smile and then hugged her, Tory keeping watch to see that no one else around became too curious. When they pulled away he spoke. "You gave humanity a chance to start over. The only way we're going to survive is if we learn how to move on," he commented.

She smiled in return and said, "Thanks, Bill," before entering the Raptor.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	4. What's the matter with kids today?

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. The episode "Torn" is alluded to. The song "Bring On the Rain" is by Jo Dee Mesina, from stormypup2002's montage.

Chapter 4: What's the matter with kids today?

Evie sat on Roslin's lap as Quorum members filed into the room. She sighed, noticing that half of them were not there due to the losses of New Caprica. She spoke first when everyone was seated. "I'd like to start this meeting off with first welcoming you back. And I'll add that it certainly is nice to be serving with you again. I would also like to mention someone new. This is Evelyn and she is my niece. My sister gave her up for adoption and I found her while we were on New Caprica. Now, onto resource allocations…" the meeting progressed and afterward several members walked up to see the girl, who had remained quiet the entire time.

As they exited the room, Roslin decided that she wanted to visit the observation deck. Tory said that she would return for her in a few hours. The door was unlocked looked to be unoccupied. Roslin brought Evie to sit on the floor with her near the enormous window. She began to tell Evie about constellations that she used to see. When Evie pointed out that those constellations were not there, being a very perceptive girl, Roslin decided to try something different and picked a cluster of stars resembling a horseshoe. Using the existing mythology, she made up a few stories about these 'other' constellations.

Adama had been sitting at the back of the room trying to clear his mind when they had entered, not noticing him. He could hear most of their conversation and smirked in amusement at Roslin's story-telling abilities. He stood to walk over to a booth in the back of the room. Evie noticed the movement and whipped her head around. Roslin stiffly got to her feet and strained to see. She breathed a sigh of relief when Evie dashed toward none other than Admiral Adama.

"Bill!" the girl exclaimed as she hugged his legs.

He scooped her up in his arms. "Hello to you too," he stated as he walked toward Roslin.

"How long have you been here?" she probed.

"Long enough to know you're a darn good story teller," he goaded her.

She blushed. "The Quorum meeting was tiring. I explained her to them as my niece, and then we came here to unwind a little."

"I came here to clear my head for a bit. Come on, I've got something to show you," he suggested, still holding Evie.

Roslin smirked and they walked back up the stairs to a booth that was almost concealed in the bulkheads. He unlocked a door and ushered Roslin forward. In the booth she saw speakers, a soundboard, a CD player, and an eclectic assortment of CDs. "What is all this?" she inquired.

"Since I run this ship, it's fallen to me to arrange music for when there are people in here. I set things up and one of the other officers plays the music," he explained.

Roslin thumbed through part of the musical selection. "These all look very interesting. Hmm, I'll have to hear this one some time. And that one looks good too," she paused and looked over at him. "Are they all yours?"

"Mostly. I switch them once in a while," he replied.

She spotted a digital clock and turned back to him. "Evie and I need to get back to my ship," she mentioned.

"I'll walk you two to the shuttle bay," he suggested.

As the day progressed, both became aware of the traumatic affects that New Caprica had on the fleet as civilian complaints came in. Adama was not entirely surprised when Lee called him to say that he had grounded Kara for crashing a Viper onto the deck that had run out of fuel. Later the president had to return and tend to other business. Adama suggested leaving Evie with Dee.

_Another day has almost come and gone  
Can't imagine what else could wrong_

When Dee arrived at his quarters, she stared at the girl and then looked at Roslin with a questioning gaze. "It's a long story, but she's my niece," Roslin remarked.

"I'm sorry ma'am. She just looks so much like you," the other woman commented.

"That's alright Dee. I'm glad you could change shifts to watch her for a bit," Adama relayed. Dee took the girl to her quarters while Adama and Roslin headed off to work on separate projects.

_Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door  
A single battle lost but not the war_

To Roslin's surprise, Cottle called for her during one of her meetings. "I just thought you'd like to know a few other things regarding your 'niece,'" he stated.

"Of course," she responded.

"Her growth rate from this point on will be like any other child. And unlike your blood, which stills has bits of Cylon blood in it, hers is fully human," Cottle mentioned.

"Thank you, Jack. That's good to know," she commented.

"And you, I want to see you in here no later than next week for surgery," he ordered.

She sighed resolutely. "Alright."

Several hours later, Roslin made her way to the mess hall for a cup of coffee. What she found was a disgruntled Colonel Tigh and a bitter Captain Thrace downing who knew what and grumbling over New Caprica. After hearing some of the conversation, she strode over to them.

'_Cause tomorrow's another day_

"Hello Saul, Captain Thrace," she began politely.

"Hey Madame Prez, have a seat and some whiskey," Kara offered.

_And I'm thirsty anyway_

Roslin sat and accepted the drink, staring at it for a moment. _If I could just make the pain go away for a while… _With that thought she drank some of it and the continued with her mission. "I know you two had some truly horrific moments on that planet. We all did. But I really think-"

"Here, here!" Kara caroused. "Frak that rock and all the Cylons stinking up the place!"

_So bring on the rain_

"Those toasters can go back to the junkyard!" Tigh added.

Rolling her eyes, she sighed and took another drink. "That wasn't what I meant. I know you've faced atrocities that no one should ever have to know about, but the best way to fight back now isn't to be bitter. You can fight back by being part of the fleet again," she suggested.

_It's almost like the hard times circle 'round  
A couple drops and they all start coming down_

Tigh handed her a second drink, which she accepted. "You don't know the half of it. I wanna numb a few things before I can face CIC again. Lost too much," he slurred slightly.

"You weren't stalked and abused by one particular Cylon that you kept trying to kill," Kara retorted.

_Yeah, I might feel defeated,_

"We all went through our own hell on that planned," Roslin retorted, reaching for her third drink, already feeling the alcohol seeping through her senses. "I was captured and experimented on too."

"At least you got to keep your child!" Kara lashed out, causing Roslin to stand.

_I might hang my head_

Though most of the pilots had cleared the room, Racetrack phoned the admiral, thinking that the situation could soon get out of hand. The first thing he saw when he arrived was a familiar redhead trying to keep her balance as she leaned heavily on the table. The second things he saw were two angry officers drinking who knew how many glasses of something akin to moonshine. "I know… I know you both went through hell," Roslin argued, "but it's no excuse to be taking it out on everyone else!"

Adama was surprised at how articulate she could be, despite being obviously drunk. He walked over to her and cleared his throat. "Madame President, I'll handle this."

_I might be barely breathing - but I'm not dead_

She turned her bleary eyes to face him. "No, I'm… I'm gonna make a point and-" she tried to use her hands to punctuate her words, but the room began to spin. "Maybe… maybe I should let you."

He caught her by the waist and walked her over to a chair. Helping her to sit, he spoke again. "You stay right here and then I'll take care of you." Her only response was a dizzy nod. Then he turned back toward the other two. "What the hell did you do to her?"

Kara put up her hands in defense. "Hey, this one's not our fault. She walked in here for coffee and then she tried to lecture us. We just gave her a few drinks. I don't know why she accepted."

/Adama's anger was reflected in his eyes at that moment. He asked for Kara's sidearm. Then he slammed it on the table. "Alright, you want to start something, then pick it up and shoot me. Go ahead," he demanded bitterly, but not loudly. Neither moved, so he continued, picking up the weapon and confiscating it, turning toward Kara and yanking her out of her chair. "You used to be like a daughter to me. Now I found you acting like a militant, spreading dissension. You can either decide to be a human again, or get off my ship!"/

_Tomorrow's another day_

/She left and he faced Tigh with a cold stare. "Are you gonna haul me outa my chair too?" Tigh questioned./

/"Be the man I've known for thirty years again," Adama said simply./

/Tigh stood to leave as well saying, "That man doesn't exist anymore./

_And I'm thirsty anyway_

Adama sighed heavily and turned back to Roslin, who was sitting with her head in her hands. "Won't stop spinning," she murmured.

_So bring on the rain_

He took her arm and carefully helped her up, as he had when she was dying. Then he wrapped his right arm around her waist. As he had hoped, she figured out that leaning on him would give her the best sense of balance. With him guiding her, she could retain her dignity, as people passing by would think that she was simply still glad to see him after the Exodus from New Caprica.

Finally they reached his quarters after the slow trek. He unlocked the door and ushered her inside. Then he walked her over to his rack. He removed her shoes and jacket before pulling the blankets back. "You need to sleep this off. I'll handle the rest," he told her. She nodded, not in any shape to argue, and then lied down.

He phoned Tory and explained as vaguely as possible that the president could not return until the next morning. Then he called Dee and asked her to continue watching Evie overnight. Though surprised, she agreed.

_I'm not gonna let it get me down  
I'm not gonna cry_

Adama took the couch for the night and only woke up once to the sound of someone emptying the contents of her stomach in his bathroom. He glanced in after her to see if she might need help. She found the mouthwash on her own, only half realizing that she was not in her own quarters. After gargling, she went back to bed. In the morning he showered and set up the coffee. Then he walked into his bedroom and sat on the bed, next to the sleeping woman.

"Laura. Laura, it's time to get up," he attempted.

"My head hurts," she groaned, opening her eyes. "Bill? Where am I?"

"_You're on Galactica_, in my quarters. You tried to solve Saul and Kara's problems and ended up in the middle of them. What I want to understand is why you let yourself get drunk," he stated, stroking her hair.

_And I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight_

"Dull the pain," she mumbled sleepily, not fully awake yet.

He looked at her, startled. "What pain?" Even after the words had been spoken, he recalled how uncomfortable she seemed, and a few comments she had made about her back.

_Tomorrow's another day_

"Cylons damaged my spine. Jack says I need surgery. Have to schedule soon. Evie, someone needs to watch Evie," she mumbled semi-coherently.

She tried to sit up quickly, but he slowed her down, catching her arm. "Whoa. You're going to feel pretty bad for a while, so take it slowly," he recommended.

_And I'm thirsty anyway_

After waiting to gain a slight sense of balance, she moved toward the edge of the bed and sat next to him. "I am so sorry about all this. And I think I used some of your mouthwash," she commented.

_So bring on the rain_

He gave her a half-smile. "I've done worse."

"What time is it?" she inquired. He told her that it was 0600. She glanced down at her clothing and groaned at the heavily wrinkled condition of her skirt and blouse. "This won't do at all. I'm a mess and probably smell like cheap whiskey," Roslin complained.

_Tomorrow's another day_

Adama covered one of her hands with his. "It'll be alright. You can take shower and borrow the bathrobe in there until Tory brings you a fresh set of clothes."

With his help she stood and made her way to the bathroom without much protest. As she reached the door, something occurred to her and she turned suddenly. Unfortunately it was a little too suddenly and he had to catch her forearms to steady her. "Deities, where's Evie? And what did you tell Tory last night?" she questioned, and edge of panic in her voice.

_And I'm thirsty anyway_

"Evie's fine. I asked Dee to watch her for the night. She can bring Evie by later. As for Tory, I called her to explain that you had jumped in the middle of a conflict and were not in a condition to wander the halls of _Galactica _to get back to _Colonial One_," he reassured her.

She sighed with relief. "Well that's good to know. I owe your daughter-in-law a debt of gratitude. I'll go take that shower now."

_So bring on the rain_

He nodded and she closed the bathroom door, taking the cup of coffee that he had brought for her. Then he headed for the phone to speak with Tory and then Dee. He knew that the days ahead would be difficult, but he intended to help her through whatever she had to face.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, Mariel3, carolann, LavenderKate, asouldreams, max72, and caramelapples for reviewing :D)


	5. The art of deception

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. The episode "Measure of Salvation" is alluded to. The song "Easier to Lie" is by Aqualung, from the montage of Scullymouse.

Chapter 5: The art of deception

Wearing Adama's slightly-too-big bathrobe, Roslin emerged from the shower to find Evie in the living room and Adama closing the door to someone. The girl ran over to her and hugged her. "Were you a good girl last night?" Roslin asked as she hugged the girl.

"Yes, Mommy. Mrs. Dee read me a story about a cat, and Mr. Lee was there, and we had dinner, and I slept on the couch," she said quickly.

Roslin glanced over at Adama. "Doesn't someone bring you the morning reports?"

"Dee did that when she brought Evie over," he answered.

She sat down on Adama's couch and Evie climbed up onto her lap. A sharp knock at the door took everyone's attention. Adama opened it to Tory, who marched directly over to president. The aide was more than mortified to see her boss in only a bathrobe that obviously was not hers. Tory laid Roslin's suit that she had brought over a chair.

"Madame President, may I have a word with you privately?" she requested.

"Of course," Roslin responded, scooting Evie onto the couch and following her aide into the kitchen. "What did you need?"

She narrowed her eyes at her boss. "What are you doing, wandering around in the admiral's bathrobe? Ma'am, I need to know exactly what happened yesterday so I know the extent of what might need covering up," Tory retorted.

Roslin tightened the strings on the bathrobe. "I was trying to break up a problem that Colonel Tigh and Captain Thrace were causing. I ended up intoxicating myself in the process and the admiral rescued me, allowing me to spend the night in his bed while he slept on the couch. My were less than satisfactory, so that's why you brought me another suit."

"This had better not happen again," the other woman said curtly.

A few days later, Roslin had found time to schedule her surgery. Adama could see that she was nervous as she sat in the hospital gown, waiting for Cottle, rubbing her hands as she held them in her lap. "I really appreciate you looking after Evie and recruiting Lieutenant Dualla to help," she began.

_To bear the weight  
and push into the sky_

"Glad to help, and Dee seems good with kids," he paused and put a hand on top of hers. "You know, it's okay to be nervous-"

_it's easier to lie_

"I'm fine," she told him quickly. "Deities, what's taking him so long?"

_it's easier to lie_

"Jack knows what's at stake, and he'll have everything under control," Adama tried to reassure her. "Laura, if you-"

_And honestly  
to look you in the eye_

"I told you I'm fine!" she stated harshly. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "I just… I need to get it over with," she admitted quietly.

_it's easier to lie_

Cottle entered the room and faced her. "Well young lady, it's time."

_it's easier to lie_

Roslin nodded and stood slowly walking toward him. Adama touched her hand and she turned to face him. "It'll be alright," he relayed.

_To be the one  
to be the only one_

She gave him a small smile and then exited the room in front of the doctor. Adama stepped over to Cottle. "Give me a call when it's done," he requested.

_something has to give a lot_

"I was already planning on it," Cottle remarked.

_something has to give a lot_

Adama's shift in CIC passed in a blur. He paced in his quarters while going over reports and jumped when the phone finally rang. "Adama."

It was Cottle. "Surgery's done. She's resting now and I don't want her to have any visitors until tomorrow."

"How'd it go?" Adama probed.

"Pretty well. Had to wake her up at the end of it though. With this kind of surgery, sometimes you need to wake up the patient and make sure the limbs work. With any luck she won't remember it. She should be fine and you can talk to her tomorrow," he ended.

_And who am I  
to give you what you need_

As it turned out, Dee could not watch Evie for the first evening because of a knee injury acquired while she was on her way to CIC. A laundry cart she had not seen collided with her. So Evie was going to spend the night on the admiral's couch. Adama had given the girl dinner and noticed that she kept looking at his door.

_when I'm learning  
just learning_

"Where's Mommy?" she asked when she had finished.

_Learning how to live and_

He set his glasses down and sighed. "Your mother's in Life Station. You can probably see her tomorrow."

She took a deep breath, crossed her arms, and sat on his couch. _This is going to be interesting_, he thought. Then an idea came to him. He picked up a round paperweight from his desk and walked over to her. "Evie, do you know what a circle is?" he prompted, showing her the bottom of the paperweight.

"That's a circle," she stated, pointing to it.

"Why don't you look around and point out all he circles you can find?" he suggested.

She smiled and nodded, jumping off the couch. Over the next hour, she went around his living quarters finding not only circles, but rectangles and squares. He used a sheet and blanket to make the couch into a bed for her. While she slept, he read reports in his room and then turned in for the evening.

_to bear the weight...  
and push into the sky_

Something tugged at his covers in the middle of the night and he sat up immediately, his military senses acute. The small form before him reached for his hand. "Bill. Bill. It's the shiny people," she whispered.

He turned on his light and squinted for a minute. "Evie, what are you talking about?"

"The shiny people were chasing me!" she sounded more worried.

_it's easier to lie_

He walked her back over to the couch and sat down with her. "I think you had a nightmare."

She had yet to release his hand. "They chased me and I couldn't find Mommy."

_it's easier to lie_

With his free hand he pulled her into his lap. "Nobody's after you. Everything is going to be fine. If you let me go, I'll bring you a glass of water."

Furrowing her little brow, she considered what he had said. "Okay," she stated, releasing his hand.

He set her on the couch and headed to the kitchen for a glass. When he returned, Evie was curled up in a ball at the end of the couch, beginning to doze off. She blinked, hearing him and he handed her the small glass. She drank a few sips and mumbled, "thank you" before pulling her blanket up around her. He spotted her bear on the floor and tucked it in with her before heading back to bed himself. In the morning she ate breakfast with him before they heard a knock on his door.

_And honestly  
to look you in the eye_

Opening it, Adama found Dee standing before him with a metallic cane. "How's the knee?" he inquired.

His daughter-in-law smiled back and then spotted Evie. "Fine sir. I can watch her now if you'd like," she offered.

_it's easier to lie_

Turning back, he met Evie's questioning expression. "Evie, Mrs. Dee is back. She'll be watching you while I'm working until your-" he had to catch himself because he almost said 'mother' and did not want to reveal it to many people, "aunt is better."

_it's easier to lie_

Though it was not the word she was looking for, she seemed to understand what he meant as she walked over to see Dee. "Hello Evie. Want to come with me again?" the woman asked with a smile.

_To fill the space  
the space you made for me_

The little girl looked over at Adama. "Could we see Mommy first?"

_try to be the one you want_

He was thankful that he had told Dee that Evie referred to her 'aunt' as 'Mommy.' "I'll need to call the doctor first and ask."

_try to be the one you want_

A while later the two of them stood in Life Station as Cottle greeted them. Adama would drop Evie off with Dee later. "Good to see you two. She's been asking about the girl all morning. You better go in first though," he recommended. "And whatever you do, don't let her sit up. She needs to stay here for at least a week."

Adama nodded and Cottle let Evie look at his stethoscope while they waited. The admiral walked over to her bedside. He sat down and noticed that her eyes we closed. Then he held one of her hands in his. She blinked slowly and looked over at him with a warm smile. "Hmm, I must have dozed off again. How's Evie?"

_And maybe I  
could be the one you need_

"She's fine. Dee had-" he began.

"I know. She was in here for a while, I think. It's a bit fuzzy though. Evie must have stayed with you then?" she assumed.

He nodded. "We were fine. I had her finding shapes in my living room. The only glitch was the nightmare she had. She said shiny people were chasing her."

Roslin's eyes widened and she tried to sit up, but he put a hand on her shoulder. "It's what she calls the Cylon centurions. She saw some of them while we were escaping. Did she go back to sleep?"

_if you'd only  
show me_

When he smirked, she raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Actually she woke me up and wouldn't let go of my hand for a while. Eventually she did go back to sleep though."

"She usually tries to crawl in bed with me if she has nightmares. Is she here with you?" the president probed.

"Jack wanted me to go in first. He also doesn't want you moving at all," he explained.

Roslin groaned and rolled her eyes. "I know. He wants to keep me here for a frakking week! How in the world am I going to cover up this one?"

"Tory decided to say you had the stomach flu and were presumed to be contagious, therefore allowing you a week to yourself," he answered rationally.

"Thank you," she relayed with a smile. "Could you send Evie in please?"

He stood and retrieved the little girl. "Mommy!" she exclaimed, running over to the bed. Without hesitation, she crawled up next to Roslin. "Mommy, I got to stay with Bill, and we found shapes, and I had a nightmare, and we had breakfast," she told the woman in one breath.

Roslin stroked her hair. "I'm glad you're alright. I have to stay here a while longer. You be good for Lieutenant Dualla, alright?"

Evie nodded. "Yes, Mommy."

When Adama brought the girl over to Dee, she led her over to the couch and turned back toward the admiral. "Sir, I still can't believe how much she and the president look alike. Her sister must've been her twin," she remarked.

"That I don't know," he replied evasively. "Take good care of her as usual."

Dee smiled and nodded before replying, "Yes sir."

_Show me how to live and_

At the end of the week Roslin was released back to _Colonial One_, reluctantly. Cottle would have preferred to keep her another week. When Adama walked her to the shuttle, he realized why. Though she had been given pain killers, her back hurt to the point where she could barely walk and it was still uncomfortable to sit. Though she knew it would heal, the aftermath of the surgery was a constant irritant. However, she could appear to walk normally if she took a firm hold of the admiral's arm. He flew her back to her ship himself.

_how to bear the weight  
And push into the sky_

"Will you be alright?" he asked her, having let Tory tend to Evie for the moment.

_it's easier to lie_

Roslin nodded stiffly as he helped her sit. "I'll just have to manage until it feels better."

_easier to lie_

They ended up coming to a compromise, in which he would help her get to her meetings early so that no one else had to watch her sit, and then he would help her leave as well. Evie was kept busy between _Galactica's_ day care, Dee, Adama, and Roslin with Tory's help. It had been almost two weeks since her surgery when the fleet found a ship full of dying Cylons. Adama and Roslin met with Cottle after the doctor had examined the five Cylons they had brought back.

/They have a disease that was once carried by rats. Humans developed an immunity to this a long time ago. I can make a vaccine that'll keep the Cylons alive, but it won't cure them," Cottle informed them./

/"Offer it anyway. Maybe one of them will want a second chance," Roslin suggested./

/The model called Simon was questioned and they learned that to die of this disease would be the 'Final Death.' After the prisoner left, they debated their options. Then Lee began laughing like a lunatic. "Mind telling us what's so funny, Commander?" Adama growled./

/"This could be it. We have the answer. We can just get rid of all the Cylons," Lee suggested./

/They discussed baiting the Cylons. Helo, however, had another point to offer, about Cylons like Athena needing the option to change, how if they exterminate all of the Cylons, they would be no better than the Cylons./

_And do what's right  
when everything is wrong_

The president, despite the admiral's look of distaste, told Lee that she would consider the idea. Then she also turned to Helo and said that she would also consider his points. Roslin was more than happy to return to _Colonial One_ where she could sit almost comfortably. She and the admiral did not speak until they were both seated with drinks.

"Sometimes Lee is a bit presumptuous. There's a lot more at stake here than just eliminating a threat," Adama alluded.

_it's easier to run_

/"I don't see a downside to this. I think Lee is right. We can finally get rid of the Cylons once and for all," Roslin remarked./

Adama shook his head. "That's not the point. /What makes us human? If we commit genocide, we'll be no better than they are./ Is that the legacy you want to pass on to your daughter?"

_it's easier to_

_Morally speaking, I wish there was a better way, but we need to take opportunities when they drift our way_. "/History will remember us for saving humanity/. I want to leave my daughter a chance to grow up, and I'll step over whatever moral lines I have to in order to do so," she told him firmly.

_Never have  
to look you in the eye_

/"I can't do this without an executive order. Are you sure about this?" he probed./

/ "Bill, this needs to be done. You have the presidential go-ahead," she informed him./

They both took a long pause and drank some of what he had poured. She closed her eyes, wishing that the pain in her spine would just go away. /"So say we all?"/ he finally asked.

She blinked and nodded. /"So say we all."/

"Your back is still giving you trouble, isn't it?" he observed.

"I'm fine," she stated.

_it's easier to lie_

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tissue. Then he unwrapped it to reveal a green pill. "There are certain pain-killers that won't be found in Life Station, ones that only the person in charge of a Battlestar has access to," he began. "You can take this and go straight to bed. And you can trust that I'm not after anything, least of all your office."

_it's easier to lie_

She smiled wryly at his half-hearted attempt to convince her that he was not looking for assassination and held the capsule in her hand, debating what he had said. Then she took it with a glass of water. He helped her up and walked her to her room. When he came back to where her desk was, Tory met him.

_To bear the weight  
and push into the sky_

"Where's the president?" she demanded.

_it's easier to lie_

"She'll be resting for a while. How's Evie?" he probed. Dee had left Evie with Tory an hour ago.

"Looking for her mother," the aide responded curtly.

"I'll take her back with me to _Galactica_. Just call when Roslin wakes up and I'll talk to her," he instructed, leaving no room for argument.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, carolann, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	6. Penance

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from the episode "Hero." The song _"Help" is by The Beatles._

Chapter 6: Penance

Evie had spent the night with Dee and then was returned to _Colonial One_ the following morning. The pain reliever from the admiral had helped Roslin, but even with that something was still off. In her state of discomfort and restlessness, Roslin sorted through some of the disconnected misfiled mess Baltar had left on the ship with the help of her aide while Evie sat on the floor coloring.

/By accident, Roslin had found a drawer containing a dossier for the _Valkyrie_. After looking over a few other papers, she realized that the admiral had forty-five years of service. She decided that it might be nice to give him a medal./ She also decided that it was time to see Cottle about better prescription pain relievers.

_Help, I need somebody_,

/In CIC the admiral, along with the Colonel watched with curiosity as two small Cylon ships chased another one. "What the hell are they doing?" Adama asked/.

_Help, not just anybody,_

"Looks like we've got company," Tigh mentioned.

_Help, you know I need someone, help._

/Everything in him froze when the vessel being chased sent out a distress signal. _I thought this was finished a long time ago. I guess that everyone has to face their past sooner or later_, he rationalized before he gave the order to open the docking bay. Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek did not end up as a prisoner in the way he had assumed, but Adama was not going to tell him that. They ate while the admiral debriefed him. /"You've got to talk to me, Danny. How the hell did you escape from the Cylon ship?"/

_When I was younger, so much younger than today,_

_I never needed anybody's help in any way._

/Bulldog told them that the Cylons had a disease that he could not catch and he escaped by overpowering one of them./

After Bulldog left, Lee came over to ask his father about the situation. Adama seemed aged when he sighed heavily. /"I shot him down. My mission was to avoid detection, protect position."/

Lee eyed his father with concern as the older man added/"Our mission was to take a stealth recon ship over the Cylon armistice line."/

"That violated the treaty-" Lee tried to remind him.

"I know." /The ugly truth began to unfold, that Bulldog got shot crossing the line by enemy ships, and Adama had shot Bulldog down so the other ship would avoid detection. /"I started it, initiated it," Adama revealed./

_But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,_

_Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors._

His son stared at the man he had come to respect with confusion, still finding the entire tale too strange to be true. /"Started what?"/ Lee inquired.

/"The attacks on the colonies"/ he relayed.

Seeing the guilt in his father's eyes, the younger man tried to say something that he thought might make a difference. /"You were one mission, one man"/

_Help me if you can, I'm feeling down_

_And I do appreciate you being round._

Adama looked haggard and old as he said/"Look what I did for them."/ Lee left shortly afterward, not knowing what else to say.

While Adama had been talking with Bulldog and then his son, Roslin and Evie had been in Life Station. Evie was looking at a diagram of the human eye as Cottle talked to Roslin. "So what I gave you isn't working?"

"Jack, I feel like I've had my spine yanked out and then shoved back in. It still hurts to walk. And deities, I haven't had a decent night's sleep in I don't know how long," she expressed.

_Help me, get my feet back on the ground,_

_Won't you please, please help me._

He glanced both ways to see if anyone was paying attention to them. "Look, the only thing left to give you is chamalla. I shouldn't be doing it at all, but letting you take those experimental military pain killers that Bill has might do you more harm. I'll do this for you, but you've gotta tell me if things get out of control," he whispered. Roslin agreed and he handed her a brown envelope, which conveniently found its way into the pocket of her skirt.

After Lee had left, the admiral opened the door to Roslin and Evie. Roslin excused herself to his bathroom briefly and left him with Evie. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched the girl bounce around his quarters, not in the best mood for dealing with that much loose energy. "Evie, could you please sit down?" he requested.

_And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,_

_My independence seems to vanish in the haze_

She seated herself on his couch and started swinging her legs. He felt badly that her being a child was getting on his nerves. "Evie, please sit still."

Furrowing her little brow, she wandered over to him. "You okay?"

_But every now and then I feel so insecure,_

_I know that I just need you like I've never done before._

"I'm fine," he growled. "Just leave me alone please!"

He realized instantly what he had done when he saw the fear in the girl's eyes. She took off running toward the bathroom as Roslin emerged from it. "Evie?" she inquired.

"Mommy, I think I'm in trouble," she explained, dashing into the bathroom.

She placed her hands on her hips and walked toward Adama. "Alright. What's going on today?" she interrogated. He told her briefly about Bulldog and his being captured, as well as pieces of the mission. /"So the mission was regarding a possible war if ships got "too close to Cylon armistice line?"/

_Help me if you can, I'm feeling down  
And I do appreciate you being round._

/"He was my recon pilot, and it was an ambush,"/ the admiral muttered. /"I made a bad call. That ship was gone, he was dead, so I left him."/

_You're still not telling me everything, but I've got another situation to handle with you_. "Evie thinks that she's in trouble with you. Whatever's wrong, you had no right to yell at her," Roslin scolded him.

"You're right about that part, and I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to be upset with her," he replied.

_Help me, get my feet back on the ground,  
Won't you please, please help me._

/"You gonna tell me what really happened?"/ she encouraged.

"/You're gonna have to trust me on this one; it's my mess, so I'll fix it"/ he answered gruffly. After Roslin had left with Evie, he threw a chair in frustration.

The next day Adama spoke with Tigh about Bulldog and the situation. /"Oh, I get it, oh yeah, this is gonna be complicated. Are you gonna tell him what ya did?" his old friend questioned./ He and the admiral both new that Adama had not intention of telling Bulldog the truth. /"He's gonna find out, it's gonna hurt later,"/ Tigh reminded as Adama left.

Not paying attention to his instincts, after a phone call from Bulldog, Adama wandered right into an attack from the former POW, being hit with a pipe and pushed up against an overturned table. /"I kept thinking, 'just hang in their Bulldog, Bill Adama's coming,"/ Bulldog conveyed, his rage showing.

/Then Bulldog admitted that the Cylons left the door open to his cell. Fortunately before he could inflict too much damage, Tigh came into the room and took over. /"You alright, Bill?"/ he asked his friend./

/"Yeah, I'm okay" he groaned as he tried to move./

/"The Cylons let you go, the question is why. Tell you a dirty little secret: the toughest part about getting played is losing your dignity, feeling like you are not worth the oxygen you are sucking down. You get used to it, start to love it. It's like a bottle," Tigh began./

/"So how do you put that bottle away, Saul?" Bulldog asked./

/"One day you just decide to get up and walk on your own,"/ before having Bulldog taken into custody and held in the brig for a while.

Adama stopped by CIC and let Cottle patch him up before deciding that he needed to fix things with a certain president. "You got lucky," Cottle told him. "You're gonna have a black eye and couple of broken ribs."

_When I was younger, so much younger than today,_

"Thanks," Adama responded as Cottle taped him up.

"Don't thank me. I can only put you back together so many times. You're the only man I know who lets his problems beat him up," Cottle chided him.

When he arrived on _Colonial One_, she held up a paper and looked at him over the top of her glasses as if she was scolding a student. /"What is this?/

_I never needed anybody's help in any way._

"I'm resigning," he stated flatly.

/"Sit down Bill, I think you're getting naïve,"/ she ordered.

He sat and did not face her. She felt badly, seeing him wince as he sat, as well as his black eye. "I don't deserve to command a Battlestar when the whole thing was my fault."

She sighed. _Why are you so dense sometimes?_ /"Did you ever think that the government set you up to provoke a war?"/

"I still made the decision to leave him," he commented.

/"It wasn't any one thing; we did a thousand things good and bad for forty years," she relayed calmly./

"What do you want me to do then?" he asked her. She could see the defeated look in his eyes.

_But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured_

Taking a deep breath, she sat up as straight as her body would let her and prepared to give him the lecture of his life. "I want you to be the best admiral this fleet has ever served with. I want you to be the leader that I know you are, the leader who's become my conscience half of the time. We all need you, and there is no one else who can do your job as well as you can, or whom I would want to work with. I want you to step out of this mental mess you've indulged in, dust yourself off /and let me pin a frakin' medal on your chest,"/

"I can't accept that medal," he persisted gloomily.

/"It's not for you, it's for them, stand up and honor your fleet, that'll be your penance, even if it kills you," she informed him./

He nodded ruefully. "Actually if there's anyone I owe a penance to at the moment, it's your daughter."

_Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors._

At that point Evie wandered into the room and Roslin crossed her arms. "In that case, you can apologize now," she told Adama.

He looked over at the girl as she approached him cautiously. "Evie, I was never mad at you. I'm sorry I lost my temper. You're not in trouble, I am," he explained.

She cocked her head to one side and eyed him strangely. "So you're in trouble with you?"

"Yourself," Roslin corrected.

"I guess you could say that," he replied.

"If you're in trouble with yourself, do you still go to your room and think about what you did?" she questioned.

He knew she was parroting something she had probably been told once or twice. Roslin had her hand over her mouth, trying desperately not to giggle. Adama had trouble too in preventing himself from laughing at the girl's logic. "Sort of."

Then Evie studied his face. "You have a lot of owies on your face. When I have owies, Mommy kisses them and makes them better."

_Help me if you can, I'm feeling down_

_Oh no_, Roslin thought, knowing where the conversation was going as Evie faced her. "Mommy, kiss his owies and make them better."

Roslin blushed from the neck up and Adama smirked, deciding to rescue her. "I think your mother's a little busy right now. Maybe later." Evie seemed satisfied at his explanation and headed into the other room to continue playing.

"That's the thing about children; you really can't control what comes out of their mouths," Roslin remarked, still not facing him.

Adama chuckled and glanced in the direction that Evie had gone. "Much as I hate to admit it, the Cylons did us a favor, creating her."

_And I do appreciate you being round._

Roslin did not miss hearing the 'us.' "Yes, they did. She's a bright spot here and she reminds us what we fight for. Despite the mess I've had with my back, I wouldn't trade her."

He found her hand on the desk and patted her hand. She looked up and smiled warmly. Then he stood. "I'd better be going."

She followed him. "Wait a minute."

Raising an eyebrow, he turned back to face her and almost bumped into her. "Laura?"

_Help me, get my feet back on the ground,_

_Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh_

She took a deep breath and slowly removed his glasses with one hand. Then she leaned up and gently kissed the bruises on his face. Backing away, she gave him a small smile. "Evie had a point."

He grinned back and pulled her into a hug. "Yes, she did. I'll see you at the ceremony," he remarked, lightly kissing her forehead. She let him leave, wondering if she could ever truly help him to feel better.

(My thanks to max72, miss mcGonagle, and carolann for reviewing :D).


	7. Reality's right hook

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers and paraphrases from "Unfinished Business" are used as well as flashbacks and my addition to the flashbacks. "Dream On" is by Aerosmith.

Chapter 7: Reality's right hook

It was the day of the scheduled "dance," and too many people to count had come. /Lee boxed with Helo in the ring as Cottle stood by and Adama walked around the ring. Colonel Tigh referred the matches for the day./ Adama spotted Roslin, to his surprise, and made his way over to her, thinking back to the ground-breaking ceremony on New Caprica.

_/Roslin had come over to him as he sat on the ground away from the crowd./_

_/"I didn't expect to find you playing in the sand," she teased./_

_/"Used to be the river," he told her. "It's full of alluvial deposits."/_

_/"It has been a while since you've been on actual ground," she mentioned, reading past his comment./_

_/His eyes strayed to her and took in the magenta dress and wrap she wore with admiration. "That's a nice color on you, it's good to see you, Laura."/_

_/She smiled appreciatively and tightened her wrap. "You too Bill"/_

She sneaked up behind him as he had turned is attention back to the boxing ring. / "There you are," she commented with a grin./

_Every time I look in the mirror  
All these lines on my face getting clearer_

/Hey, how are you? He asked her./

"Just fine, my back's been behaving itself lately," she mentioned.

"Where's Evie?"

"I know how boxing matches go, and I figured that she was a little young for it. She's in day care with the other children," Roslin replied. "How are you doing?"

_The past is gone  
It goes by, like dusk to dawn_

"Not too bad these days. I didn't know you liked boxing," he commented, dodging her question.

She knew that he had only given her the briefest of answers, still embarrassed about the trouble with his past coming back to beat him up. /"My father was an avid fight fan and I adored my father so I love a good fight," she replied with a grin. "I heard about your so-called dance, accidentally I might add."/

"This isn't your usual fight. /Don't take it personally. This is sort of a private tradition in the military. There's a lot of frustration aboard warships. Arguments that become grudges end up being feuds, so it allows them to let off some steam out in the open so everybody can participate. Rank doesn't matter, everyone's fair game," he explained./

_Isn't that the way  
Everybody's got their dues in life to pay_

/There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she asked, "Did you throw your tags in there?"/

_Yeah, I know nobody knows  
where it comes and where it goes_

/Almost nervously, he answered, "No, no, I wish, all the frustrations that I have…" he trailed off. Roslin and Adama watched Kara box the living daylights out of another pilot, each thinking back to the groundbreaking ceremony./

_/Neither had been particularly pleased at "President" Baltar's ceremony and had little to say when Gaeta came over to ask them a few questions before needing to dash off quickly. "He's a good kid," Adama remarked./_

_/"You say this stuff rolls around here?" he inquired, holding the short New Caprican cigar between his fingers./_

_/She took a puff as well as a drink. "It grows by a steam where the water is so clear, it's like looking through glass. I'd like to live in a cabin in a place like that," she responded./_

_/"It's good," he mentioned./_

_/"It is good," she added./_

/Roslin and Adama continued to watch the match and then he looked over as Chief Tyrol discussed repairs with one of his mechanics. "Ship down chief?" Adama inquired./

/"Yeah, but we'll get it tomorrow," Tyrol responded./

/Adama decided that a point needed to me made. He turned to Roslin, handing her his glasses and dog tags. "Hold these." She grinned and accepted, interested to see what he would do in the ring./

_I know it's everybody's sin  
You got to lose to know how to win_

_/Her mind drifted back to the groundbreaking ceremony again. She was showing the camp to Adama, making sure to give him a tour of the school tent. "I miss being president, but it's been nice to get back to teaching," she told him./_

_/He grinned, enjoying the look of pride on her face as she showed him what the students had been working on. "That looks like a model of Galactica," he commented./_

_/"The older ones decided to use it as an art project, but they've actually turned it into a math lesson, measuring everything down to scale," she explained./_

/Roslin's attention was drawn back to the ring as the admiral looked around the room and his gaze settled on Tyrol. "Chief, get your fat, lazy as up here," he requested./

_Half my life  
is in books' written pages  
Lived and learned from fools and  
from sages  
You know it's true  
All the things come back to you_

/Adama then took off his jacket and had Helo wrap his hands. "Make 'em tight."/

/"Yes, sir," Helo responded enthusiastically./

/"He's an old man, he's not serious," Tyrol stated as another pilot wrapped his hands./

/As Tyrol entered the ring, the colonel walked over to Adama. "Sure about this? It's your funeral," Tigh remarked./

/As the bell sounded, Tyrol was cocky about fighting and was unprepared when he turned and was punched hard in the jaw by the admiral, who added "Get up chief, we're just getting started."/

_Sing with me, sing for the year_

_/Roslin's mind wandered again, remembering the night of the admiral's visit. "Is this really it, Bill? This is how we'll spend all the rest of our days. Maybe we should just enjoy this," she told him as they snuggled together to combat the chill in the air./_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears_

_/"I am," he responded in the gravely voice that she loved. It was so much more than his voice though at that moment. The wool, spice, and soap smell of him gave her a strong sense of comfort./_

_Sing with me, if it's just for today_

_/"I mean enjoy being here on this planet as long as it lasts. I mean maybe the Cylons come back, maybe they don't. But for now, you got a break," she hoped he understood./_

_Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away_

_/"I've got people who want to get off this ship, move down here," he mentioned, pulling her slightly closer._

_Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year_

_/"Can't say as I blame them. I mean, what are you going to do?" she inquired rhetorically./_

_sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

/Adama told Tyrol, "No excuses, show me you're s soldier, get up!" as Roslin continued to watch with interest./

_sing with me, if it's just for today_

/Tyrol hit Adama hard and he staggered for a second. Roslin held in a gasp as she watched with worry. Adama retaliated and Tyrol struck him again. Though Adama hit back again, he went down. He struggled to get back up and Tigh assisted him. Cottle shook his head with irritation./

_Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

/"That's enough already, you should quit," the doctor asserted./

/Roslin joined them, pressing an ice pack to Adama's face as he cringed. "You insist on doing this, alright. Keep your guard up, get him with your left hook," she recommended. "You wanna win?"/

/He did not look her in the eyes when he said it. "I'm not gonna win."/

/Roslin watched dejectedly as Tyrol punched Adama again, blood on the ground where the admiral had fallen. Adama looked dazed for a moment and Tyrol pulled him up. Roslin sensed what was coming as Adama turned and looked at everyone in the room. "When you stand on this deck, you be ready to fight, or you dishonor the reason why were here, and remember this when you find a man who's not your friend, same goes when you leave me, I forgot that once, I let you get too close, all of you, I dropped my guard, I gave some of you breaks, let some of you go before the fight was really over, I let this crew and this family disband and we paid the price in lives, that can't happen again."/

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream until your dreams come true_

/With Adama's speech over, he left the ring. Tyrol left to fix the ship and Roslin walked Adama out with Tigh following. "Alright, the dance is over, get your booze and your dog tags and get outa here," the colonel told those remaining./

He was more than sore as the three of them returned to his quarters. Roslin had been silent the whole way and Adama had the feeling in his gut that she was planning to lecture him. Tigh spoke first though. "Well that was stupid. Bill, what were you thinking?" he challenged his friend.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream until your dream comes through_

Adama sat down slowly on the couch and closed his eyes for a moment. "They needed to know. It's important now more than ever that we stay alert."

"And you thought they needed an example? You could've given that speech after anybody else's match," Tigh countered.

Roslin knew what Adama actually meant. She faced him and sighed heavily. "It wasn't about an example, was it? You took the blame on yourself," she stated.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream On Dream On  
Dream On Dream On_

He tried to face her. "It was my fault you were down there. If I hadn't given leave-"

She interrupted him. "And if I hadn't tried to steal an election. Deities, Bill! The universe is not made up of 'what ifs' or 'should haves.' This was not your fault."

"I could use a drink," he croaked. She stopped him before he could try to stand.

"I'll get it. Saul, you want anything?" she offered. He nodded and Adama did not seem to mind.

When she had gotten all three of them drinks, the conversation resumed. "I agree with Saul; it was stupid of you to let yourself get beat up, especially after the incident with Novacek two weeks ago."

He took a drink and looked out. "Laura, you don't understand," he commented.

To his surprise, she grabbed him by his bloodstained tanks and pulled him to his feet. "You're right, I don't understand. So you're gonna explain it to me while I clean you up," she ordered as she tugged him into the bathroom. Tigh smirked and shook his head, deciding to make his exit.

Roslin took a damp rag and dabbed Adama's face with it. "I took on the punishment, so no one else has to settle any more debts. I'm responsible for them, for keeping them safe."

She took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check. She understood what he meant all too well. "You're not the only one who feels responsible for everyone," she told him in a whisper. "But when everything's said and done, who's responsible for you? Stop playing the martyr to solve your problems. You really should see Jack about your injuries."

_Sing with me, sing for the year  
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

Adama smirked. "And get a lecture from him too? I think I'll sleep on it and find him in the morning."

Setting the rag down in the sink she crossed her arms. "Stop doing this to yourself! The whole fleet looks up to you. Evie looks up to you. She adores you and I know she can learn things from you, but not if you end up getting yourself killed. You are coming to Life Station, now."

The truth was that he was too tired to argue with her as she took his arm and they walked to Life Station. Cottle glared at him and headed for the gauze. "Honestly Bill, I'd think after what happened the last time you were here, you'd have learned your lesson. We need to get you out of those tanks so I can see what damage needs fixing this time," Cottle scolded.

_sing with me, if it's just for today  
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

"I need to pick up Evie. I'll call you later," Roslin mentioned as she left.

At the day care, Evie ran up to hug Roslin as usual. She had explained to the woman in charge that her "niece" called her "Mommy" so there would be no questions. "Mommy, I had fun today! We saw pictures of dinosaurs and their bones, and we got to color dinosaurs!" the girl relayed.

Roslin smiled warmly and took the girl's hand as they walked out into the corridor. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Roslin stated.

"Mommy, are we gonna see Bill today? I want to tell him about the dinosaurs. Did you know that they had really tiny brains? But their bodies got really big," Evie continued.

"Not today, sweetie. Bill hurt himself and needs to rest," Roslin conveyed.

"Oh," Evie said quietly. "Can you make him feel better?"

The older woman sighed as they reached the Raptor that would take them back to _Colonial One_. "I don't know."

_Sing with me, sing for the year  
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

Evie colored something while Roslin scanned through her paperwork. A while later Evie approached her with a piece of paper and a few crayons. "Can you help me make a feel better card for Bill?"

Roslin smiled warmly at her daughter's compassion, wondering whom she had heard about get well cards from. "Of course," she responded. Evie sat on her lap as they made the note. She stuck it in the priority mail bag, knowing that he would get it in the morning. Then she decided that it was time to call him.

He had been released from Life Station after receiving another lecture from Cottle. The phone rang as he stepped into his quarters. "Adama."

"It's Laura. I was calling to see how you were doing," she began.

"Jack put me back together and I should be fine in a few days. How was Evie's day?" he inquired.

"She can't wait to tell you dinosaurs. Apparently they had a lot of fun learning about dinosaurs today," Roslin relayed.

_Sing with me, if it's just for today  
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away..._

"I'm looking forward to it then," he stated. "And Laura, thanks for earlier. I needed a good kick in the ass."

She chuckled on her end. "Any time, Bill."

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream until your dreams come true_

Just before they were to say goodnight, she told him to check the mail in the morning. When morning finally arrived, every inch of him was sore as he waited for his mail after his morning coffee. On the top of it was a simple folded piece of paper addressed to him. It was a form of get well card in crayon, with Laura's name and Evie's name on it. He smiled as he read what Laura had written:

"The only way we're going to survive is if we learn how to move on," she told him, echoing what he had told her earlier.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream until your dream comes through_

"So say we all," he said aloud as he continued to prepare for his day.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On  
Dream On Dream On  
Dream On Dream On_

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, carolann, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D. Also, I know someone's montage used Aerosmith's "Dream On," but I couldn't find it again to attribute it.)


	8. The meaning of daughters

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from the episode, "The Passage." The song "With A Little Help From My Friends," is by The Beatles, with a change in one word to maintain the rating.

Chapter 8: The meaning of daughters

Adama drank his morning coffee, thinking about his next shift in CIC. He could work with Helo acceptably, but it was not the same. He missed his old friend, the man who knew his ways better than anyone else. He set down his coffee cup and went to Tigh in his quarters. /"I need you back in the CIC, it's not the same without you," the admiral relayed./

"Can't, not yet," Tigh responded. Adama sighed and took one last pained look at his friend before leaving him to fight his inner demons alone.

_What would you think if I sang out of tune,  
Would you stand up and walk out on me?_

The problem came two days later. Cottle told Adama and he asked Roslin to join him for an urgent meeting. She left Evie in day care and headed to his quarters quickly. "Gentlemen, what's this all about?" she asked as she walked in.

_Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,  
And I'll try not to sing out of key._

Cottle looked at Adama and then turned back to her. /"Food's contaminated./ We've got about ten days of rations left and then that's it."

She eyed them, flabbergasted. Soon she regained her composure and paced the room. "What are we doing about it?"

_I get by with a little help from my friends,  
I get by with a little help from my friends,  
Going to try with a little help from my friends._

"Athena's out looking for algae. There's a dense radioactive nebula ahead of us. She had to pass through it to continue the search, but we're expecting her back soon," Adama explained.

/"Can we send Galactica for food?" Roslin inquired./

/The admiral shook his head. "It's too dangerous."/

"We'd be blind in that nebula before we all succumb to radiation poisoning," Cottle added.

/"What if we bring the people to the food, send ships with skeleton crews?" she suggested./

"We would still get lost," Adama mentioned.

Roslin walked the length of the room before suddenly wheeling around to face them again. /"We pair a raptor to each civilian ship. How many jumps will it take?"/

_What do I do when my love is away.  
(Does it worry you to be alone) _

Adama's eyes widened and he knew where she was going with the idea. "It just might work."

Later after her meeting with the Quorum, she picked up Evie from day care and headed to Adama's quarters for a briefing. He smiled at them as they entered. Evie dashed over to him and gave him a hug. "We did finger painting today," she told him enthusiastically.

_How do I feel by the end of the day  
(Are you sad because you're on your own)_

"Really?" he asked, looking first as her and then Roslin, who held a piece of paper.

Roslin handed the paper to Evie, who proudly showed it to Adama as she crawled up into his lap. The images on the paper resembled a thin red snowman, a portly blue snowman, and a purple oval drawn around them. "This is Mommy, and this is you, and you're on _Galactica_," Evie explained, pointing to each of the images.

"I like it," he told her kindly.

Evie looked between Adama and Roslin. "Can I ask him, Mommy?"

"Go ahead," Roslin replied.

"I want you to have it. Mommy has other things I drew, but I want to give you something. Can I hang it in here?" she requested.

_No I get by with a little help from my friends... _

He grinned at her and mussed her hair. "Sure. Show me where you want it and I think I still have tape somewhere."

Evie hopped down to the floor and ran around the room for a while, holding the paper up to various places, as if she were trying to find the best spot for a valuable portrait. At last she settled on a space on the wall above the end of his couch. He taped it up and she stood back and folded her hands in front of her, smiling calmly this time.

"I guess that'll do," she stated before looking for the crayons that Adama had gotten into the habit of leaving out for her.

He raised an eyebrow and looked over at Rosin, who smirked. "You do realize that she was trying to mimic you."

Folding his hands, he glanced back at the girl sitting on the floor. "I guess so."

_I get by with a little help from my friends,  
I get by with a little help from my friends,  
Going to try with a little help from my friends. _

The following morning the ships were ready to begin Roslin's plan of having a raptor escort a vessel. /Adama heard applause and turned to see Tigh wander into CIC. "Welcome back Colonel," he stated with his calm smile./

/"Admiral," the other man greeted./

The fleet began the jumps with pilots changing shifts. As the fleet continued to move though, the pilots looked haggard and unsteady. The wrist bands they were given to check their radiation levels were ranging from dark gray to black. Adama waited in his quarters, sifting through data Athena had gathered on the algae planet while Tigh was bringing him the most recent reports of their mission.

The admiral made his way to the door, hearing a knock. He let the colonel in and both men sat on the couch. "What's the news?" Adama inquired.

/"Hundred marines too weak to work./ Bill, the pilots are doing their best, but the radiation's eating away at them, at their ships," Tigh answered. As Adama sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, Tigh updated him further on the food shortage.

/"I hear they're still eating paper, that true?" Adama asked him./

/"No, paper shortage," Tigh responded seriously.

There was a pause and then Adama added/"Not a good sign," before he and the colonel succumbed to an almost morbid spell of laughter.

/"No sir," Tigh commented./ As he turned, he caught sight of something on the wall that had previously alluded his impaired vision. "What's with the finger painting on your wall?"

_Do you need anybody,  
I need somebody to love.  
Could it be anybody  
I want somebody to love. _

Adama looked back at it and smiled briefly. "Laura's daughter wanted me to have it." Tigh was one of the few people who knew the truth about Evie.

The jumps were finished later on that day. However, one pilot and one ship were unaccounted for. Adama watched the screen anxiously. Louanne 'Kat' Katraine was missing. He had lost radio contact for a while with her. His stoic expression was in place while they all continued to wait. Then at last, both ships jumped into view and Kat radioed that she had been successful.

He felt it was his duty to personally congratulate her, so he went down to the hanger bay, followed by Tigh. /As she emerged from her heavily damaged Raptor, everyone applauded her. As the admiral looked on, she suddenly collapsed./

Kara had gone in to see her first. Adama heard the blonde say /"Everybody's stuck with the things they're not proud of,"/ before leaving.

Adama entered and sat by her bed, noting how battered and frail she looked. From the radiation, some of her hair had fallen onto her pillow. She looked up at him weakly, still regretting the ship she had lost track of earlier in the mission. /"Admiral, I'm sorry-"

He cut her off. /"I'm not here to lecture, I'm letting you know about a promotion. I'm making you CAG again, you earned it. You did it without putting another soul in harm's way," he paused and let a small proud smile slip through. "Wish there was something more I could give you."/

/"We both know I'll never leave Life Station," she remarked dejectedly./

/He knew, but he wanted for one moment to give her some small compensation. "You want me to take it back then?"/

/She smiled. "No, I'd like to be CAG very much, thank you." She tried to explain what Kara had found out, but he stopped her again./

/"I don't need to know anything other than what I already know," he remarked. He then told her that Life Station reminded him of when his son, Zack, was born./

/"Did you want a girl too?" Kat asked./

/"Yeah, three's a good round number," he responded./

That evening he returned to his quarters, worn out and wanting to escape things for a while, maybe with a drink and a good night's sleep. He was more than surprised to find Dee and Evie when he opened his cabin door. His daughter-in-law stood immediately. "Sir, the president had a meeting with the press to discuss the algae paste as food and she asked that I would watch her niece for a while. She should be back soon."

Adama smiled and nodded. "It's fine. I'll take over from here."

"Yes sir," she stated as she left.

Evie left her place where she had been coloring and wandered over to him, hugging his legs. "Bill!" she exclaimed, happy to see him.

Despite the pain of loosing Kat, he smiled. Then he picked Evie up. "Hey you. Did you eat dinner yet?"

She nodded emphatically. "Mommy found some cornflakes. Can you read me a story?" she requested.

Still holding her, he walked over to the bookcase. "Hmm, there must be something here… ah. How about a story with a golden fleece and an adventure?"

Giggling like her mother, she looked at him incredulously. "Golden fleas?"

He chuckled and shook his head, taking the book and walking back to the couch. Then he set her down and opened up the book. "That was 'fleece.' A fleece is what we call the hair on sheep."

"What's 'sheep?'" she asked.

Studying her for a moment, he realized that for all that she did know, there were many things she had never had contact with. She knew what dogs, cats, and birds were, but sheep were completely out of her experience.

"A sheep is an animal with curly hair, a fleece, that people shave off to use for different things," he explained.

"Oh," she said before moving closer to him and listening intently.

When Roslin returned, she looked over at Bill and was about to open her mouth to speak when he shushed her and pointed to Evie, who had dozed off with her head in his lap. Roslin smiled warmly and neared them. "I didn't want the press to bother her."

_Would you believe in a love at first sight,  
Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time. _

"She was better off here anyway," he responded.

Roslin placed a hand on his shoulder. "I heard we lost a pilot."

"Kat," he whispered back. She did not miss the distant look in his eyes for that moment.

_What do you see when you turn out the light,  
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine._

"Kat," she repeated, uncomprehendingly. She wanted to ask him more, but her eyes fixed on her sleeping daughter. "I'd better get her to bed."

Adama moved carefully not to wake the girl and picked her up. "She can sleep in my bed for a while if you want to talk more," he offered.

_Oh I get by with a little help from my friends..._

Roslin nodded, doubly glad. First of all, she would get a chance to talk to him about what happened, and she did not have to carry her daughter herself. He returned shortly. "Thank you," she told him.

"You're welcome. Something I've noticed from the beginning with her is how articulate she is," he remarked.

"She has a former kindergarten teacher for a mother," Roslin reminded with a smile.

"Is your back still bothering you?" he questioned.

"Yes. I can't carry much for a while yet," she responded. Then she took a quick moment to study him and noticed the weariness. "Bill, you look like you could use a drink."

_I get by with a little help from my friends,  
I get by with a little help from my friends,  
Going to try with a little help from my friends. _

He smirked. "That's a good idea. Want to join me?"

A moment later they were seated on the couch with their drinks. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" she asked gently.

Taking a long sip of his drink, he stared off at the wall for a moment. "We lost Kat. She died of radiation poisoning after saving that last ship. I sat with her before she died and promoted her to CAG. I ended up talking about my sons."

"Was Kat like a daughter to you then?" Roslin inquired.

He nodded. "In a way. What I thought mattered a great deal to her. She wanted me to be proud of her. It's different with Starbuck. /Kat asked me if I ever wanted a daughter and I told her 'yeah, three's a good round number./'"

Roslin smiled and placed a hand on his knee. "It would seem that you've earned yourself an honorary one. Evie thinks very highly of you."

"She likes people," he replied.

The president shook her head. "Whether or not you meant to, I think she sees you as a father figure."

"Do you mind?" he inquired.

_Do you need anybody,  
I just need somebody to love,  
Could it be anybody,  
I want somebody to love. _

She rested a hand on his knee and shook her head smiling. "I can't think of anyone else whom I'd like to see in that place for her. You've been a great influence for he so far and I don't want that to change."

"Glad to be useful," he stated as he finished his drink.

Sighing at him, she kissed him on the cheek. "Stop berating yourself and accept a compliment."

He turned toward her and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you," he whispered.

Those two works spoke volumes as they separated. "You're welcome. I need to take Evie back to _Colonial One_."

She then headed over to the bedroom to wake her daughter. The girl took her hand sleepily as Adama walked them to the door. "Goodnight, Evie," he told her. She gave him a tired hug and yawned. Then he faced Roslin. "Goodnight, Laura," he remarked.

"Goodnight, Bill," she said quietly. They kissed gently before he walked her to the docking bay.

_I get by with a little help from my friends,  
Yes I get by with a little help from my friends,  
With a little help from my friends._

(My thanks to caramelapples, carolann, miss mcGonagle, max72, asouldreams, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	9. An old acquaintance and new challenges

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "The Eye of Jupiter," and "Rapture." The song "Fields of Gold" is by STING, from LelianaMcKay's montage.

Chapter 9: An old acquaintance and new challenges.

Roslin woke before her alarm went off because Evie was pulling at her blankets. She sat up quickly. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I had another nightmare. The shiny men came back. And they brought a man with dark hair with them. They wanted something we were looking for," Evie said in one breath.

Her mother hugged the little girl closely. "Nothing's going to hurt you, sweetie. Everything will be fine. The shiny men are not going to get you."

It was later just before he was going to leave to head off to CIC that Adama received a phone call. "Adama."

_You'll remember me when the west wind moves  
Upon the fields of barley_

"Bill, it's Laura. I've got a problem," the president began.

"Is the Quorum giving you trouble again?" he inquired.

_You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky  
As we walk in the fields of gold_

"No, it's Evie," she paused and Adama could hear a distinct voice in the background say, "But Mommy, it's yucky." Roslin spoke again. "She won't eat the algae paste. Personally, I can't say that I blame her, but she needs to eat and I don't know what to do."

"First of all, calm down and take a deep breath. Now children do this from time to time when they try new foods. Eventually she'll get hungry enough to eat it," he relayed.

_So she took her love for to gaze awhile  
Upon the fields of barley_

"I wish we could find a way to make it taste better," she stated.

He thought for a moment, mentally assessing what little condiments he had left in his refrigerator. "Bring her over for dinner. We might try putting some mayonnaise on it. My ex-wife used to put mayonnaise on broccoli for the boys."

_In his arms she fell as her hair came down  
Among the fields of gold_

"It sounds strange, but right now I'm willing to try anything to get her to eat," she answered.

The day proved to be far more eventful than either of them had ever wanted. Roslin dropped Evie off at day care and met Adama in CIC. /Chief Tyrol, Kara, Lee, Dee, Anders, and several others were exploring the algae planet. Tyrol reported back to have found a temple of sorts that might locate the mythical "Eye of Jupiter."/

Then the DRADIS flashed and Gaeta reported/"Four base ships."/

/"Hold this position back on board," Adama instructed./

/"Bay ships are holding position,"/ Gaeta relayed.

/"That is odd,"/ Roslin remarked.

/"Sir, they're hailing us," the admiral was informed./

Adama glanced over at Roslin and then back to the viewscreen. /"Put it through the speaker."/

An eerily familiar accented voice spoke. /" It's a pleasure to hear your voice."/

The president's jaw nearly dropped, but she schooled her features to hide her shock. "Wasn't that Baltar?"

"I have a bad feeling that it was," Tigh commented behind her.

D'Anna Biers came on the speaker. "You have something we want. I suggest we discuss this in a neutral meeting. We even have a liaison. Perhaps you remember him, Gaius Baltar?"

Adama and Roslin had reluctantly agreed to the meeting. They faced each other when the transmission had ended. /"I can't believe were dealing with a Cylon ship," Adama remarked./

_Will you stay with me, will you be my love  
Among the fields of barley_

Roslin nodded. /"I can't believe they're sending Gaius Baltar."/

/"Let him say whatever he wants. More time to get our people off the planet," the admiral realized.

They met with him in the cargo bay. He stepped out from behind the Cylons and approached them slowly. "It's good to see you," he said with a surprising amount of sincerity.

_We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky  
As we lie in the fields of gold_

"What do you want?" Roslin questioned, barely able to keep the acidic tone out of her voice.

/"We want the Eye of Jupiter. We know you have people on the ground," Baltar replied calmly./

/"We have our people on the surface, we're not leaving them behind," Adama told him./

/"I would like to discuss the practicality-"/

/"The less this man says, the better," Roslin interjected./

It was then decided that she would leave further decisions in this matter to the admiral. /She put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll give you a hand with this, Bill. If you need it let me know," she relayed as she left, not realizing that she had called Adama by his first name in front of Baltar./

/"What's your offer?" Adama continued the negotiation.

D'Anna continued the discussion. /"You give us the Eye, we let you go. We'll even throw in Baltar,"/ she relayed.

/"Worth thinking about," Tigh commented./

/"Definitely worth thinking about," Adama responded. Then he turned back to the Cylons. "I'm setting the terms now, make any attempt to attack this ship or the people, I'll nuke it, lay waist to an entire continent."/

Baltar sputtered. "But you can't just-"

/"Guards, escort them back on the ship," the admiral ordered./

While Adama had been negotiating with the Cylons, Roslin paid a visit to the day care area to check on Evie. "Hello, Miss Porter," she greeted the trim black-haired woman who worked there.

"Madame President, is there something I can help you with?" the other woman inquired.

Roslin looked around the room and spotted Evie stacking the blocks. "I've been having trouble getting Evie to try the algae paste. I was wondering if she's eaten anything here."

Corrine Porter could see the concern in the president's eyes. "Don't worry. Several of the younger children don't want to eat it yet. We've seen it here and other parents have come in with the same problem. They're kids and they just need some time. I actually managed to mold the stuff into little balls and bake it in the oven. It's not too bad like that, actually. Evie tried a couple of those. She'll adjust."

"Thank you. I'll just stop in and say 'hello' for a minute," Roslin commented.

The teacher nodded and Roslin walked over to Evie. The girl happened to turn her head and came running over. "Are we going home now?"

_I never made promises lightly  
And there have been some that I've broken_

Roslin kneeled down on the floor and held the girl in a secure embrace. "Not yet, sweetie. I just wanted to see how you were doing, but I need to go back to work."

_But I swear in the days still left_

She did not know if Evie would end up crying with that sort of answer, or if she would be angry and stomp off. The girl surprised her by looking up at her face for a moment, as if trying to read her.

"Okay," Evie finally said as she moved back to her blocks. She motioned with her hand though for Roslin to follow. "This is where the lamb with the golden fleece was," Evie told her, pointing to the block structure.

_We'll walk in the fields of gold_

"So that's what Bill was reading to you," Roslin remarked with a smile.

Roslin gave her daughter one more hug and returned to CIC. Adama beckoned her into one of the side rooms to discuss their situation. "Do we know what this 'Eye of Jupiter' is?" she asked.

/"All we know for sure is it supposedly points the way to earth," he responded./

_See the west wind move like a lover so  
Upon the fields of barley_

She paced the room in thought and then turned back. "I think there are some books I could check for references."

_Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth  
Among the fields of gold_

"Sounds reasonable. /I'm not a religious person as we both know, so if this is the work of a higher power, then they have one hell of a sense of humor," he commented./ While she left to work in his office, he had a Cylon guest who had specifically requested his presence.

Later he returned to find Roslin leafing through three books at the same time. /She wanted to explain what she had found in her research, but his news seemed more important in that second. "Five pillars of the-"

/"Laura, the Cylon we know as Boomer told Sharon that Hera is still alive./ The Cylons have her," he mentioned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It means I have to tell the Agathons everything."

_I never made promises lightly_

Roslin sighed heavily and folded her hands in front of her. "I am so sorry I've put you in a position like this. Do you want me to tell them?"

_And there have been some that I've broken_

He shook his head. "This has become a military issue. It needs to come from me." As he left the room, she knew that the conversation had stirred up his irritation at her for her actions at their first meeting after the Exodus.

She saw him again just before they reentered CIC. "What happened with the Agathons?"

He did not face her as they walked. "Understandably they were upset. But right now we have a bigger situation. They know you were involved, but I took responsibility for it, so they should leave you alone."

_But I swear in the days still left_

"You what? Bill, I should be the one to-" she attempted to argue.

_We'll walk in the fields of gold_

"I withheld information after you told me. Had I been there on New Caprica, you wouldn't have had to made the decisions that led to our current circumstances with their child," he told her flatly.

_We'll walk in the fields of gold_

She touched his forearm. "No, it was my fault. Stop taking the blame for things you didn't do."

"Enough," he said gruffly. "It's time we let it rest." With that they entered CIC quietly.

The Cylons were in position to fire on the planet, appearing too impatient to wait for the pilots and other colonials to return. Adama threatened once again to blow up the planet as the transmission ended. /"Fortunately we are bluffing," Roslin commented./

Adama's eyes were focused on the console. /"Are we? Prepare nuclear missiles."/

/"Missiles are loaded," Gaeta answered./

/"Open launch tube doors," the admiral ordered./

Roslin looked over at him quickly. /"What are you doing?"/

Adama watched the viewscreen. /"Getting ready to nuke the planet. Set ground zero for the underground structure."/

/"Are we prepared to sacrifice Lee?" Roslin asked with disbelief./

It was then that he looked at her before saying/"Release of nuclear weapons is now authorized."/

Roslin took a deep breath and closed her eyes, praying to the deities that Adama would not go through with this desperate act. /"Mr. Gaeta, disable launch warhead safeties," she heard Adama say./

Then Adama glanced toward Tigh . /"XO, please input your firing code," he ordered. "Key," Adama stated as he put is own key into the console./

By that time, Roslin had a white-knuckle grip on the table, hoping that Evie was alright and wishing that the day would just end. /"Fire on my mark," the admiral told his crew./

Gaeta looked at the DRADIS and stated/"Sir raiders are coming back."/

The president let out a breath she did not know she was holding. /"Not all of them," Adama observed./

/"Five, one still there," Gaeta added./

/"Close outer doors," the admiral stated./

Roslin slowly let go of the table and rubbed her eyes. "I wish this was over," she whispered.

"We dodged a bullet. I don't think we'll be that lucky again, and we still need to find that other raider," the admiral said quietly.

They were still waiting for word on the raider when the phone rang. He snatched it quickly and she watched the conversation with curiosity. "Adama. What? What do you mean she- That's what he told you? We'll be right there."

He faced Roslin. "Bill, what happened?" she inquired.

"I'll explain on the way," he told her, motioning toward the door as he walked. Her shoes clicked along the metal floor. "Athena's dead. She asked her husband to shoot her. One of the marines called me."

Roslin almost had to jog to keep his pace. "Why?"

"That's what I intend to find out," he replied as they stopped to see Athena carried out on a stretcher.

/"She begged me," Helo told them inside his quarters./

Adama folded his hands in front of him. "Perhaps you don't realize the danger you've put us all in. /Procedures, tactical situation down on the planet, Cylons have access to all that."/

/"She wouldn't do that," Helo argued./

/"She may not have a choice," the admiral retorted./

/"She'll get Hera, she'll come back," Helo persisted optimistically./

/"That's quite a leap of faith. You've put the entire fleet in jeopardy," Roslin reminded./

Helo glared at her, his frustrations surfacing. /"If you hadn't lied and stolen our baby, we wouldn't be here now." He tried to make his way toward Roslin, but Adama held him back./

/"There is plenty of blame to throw around and I accept it. All we can do is hope that your wife knows what she's doing. You as well, Admiral," Roslin stated as she left the room./

Adama found Roslin in CIC. The star near the algae planet looked like a flaming ball. To everyone's dismay the star then exploded in a swirling supernova. /"Now that gives our people less than an hour,"/ Adama grumbled.

/"Sir, the Cylon fleet just jumped away," Gaeta informed him./

The radio crackled and Tyrol told them/"I think the nova is the Eye."/

/"They don't wanna be here when that shockwave gets here," Tigh commented.

Adama and Roslin exchanged glances. /"Neither do we."/

Tigh looked back at the viewscreen. /"Gonna be a photo finish."/

/Galactica jumped away as the last of their raiders was recovered. Medics entered the docking bay as Tigh and Adama watched the people emerge. His son was safe. Then everyone's attention turned toward Tyrol as he dragged a miserable, bruised Baltar onto the ground./

/"He's not dead," Tigh observed./

/"No, unfortunately," Tyrol added./

/Lee and Dee hugged as Kara and Anders did the same, but Kara and Lee exchanged glances. Athena returned a moment later with Hera, and a Number Six. The Six was taken into custody. In the war room, Adama and Roslin looked over a few scrolls with Gaeta and Tyrol standing by./

/"I think the chief is right,"/ Roslin commented.

/"Could be a vision of what is to come,"/ Adama added.

Tyrol bent over one of the scrolls. /"I don't know what else if could be."/

/" A nova, seen 4000 years ago," Gaeta mentioned./

/"Maybe it was a road sign, showing where we are going to next," Adama suggested./

Later Roslin brought Evie for dinner. Adama had heated the green goop and served it in bowls. Evie frowned at it and looked over at Roslin. "Do I have to eat it?"

"When you are a guest for dinner at someone else's home, yes, you do," Roslin explained.

Adama disappeared into the kitchen for a moment and returned with a jar of a white substance and a spoon. "Maybe you'd like to try some of this on it?" he suggested to Evie.

She eyed it dubiously. "What is it?"

He dropped a glob of it in his dish. "It's Siren food. I snuck off with some of it the last time I saw the Sirens."

_Many years have passed since those summer days  
Among the fields of barley_

Roslin was biting her cheek, trying desperately not to giggle. _Is he out of his mind? It's just mayonnaise_. Evie poked at the portion in the jar and tasted it. "I'd like some, please," she requested, trying to sound like her mother. Then she asked, "What's a Siren?"

"Sirens are monsters who look like women. They trick sailors and passersby into coming closer to their island by singing. The men are too interested to leave and become trapped," he simplified.

_See the children run as the sun goes down  
Among the fields of gold_

Roslin grinned mischievously. "If you got this 'food' from the Sirens, why weren't you lured in by them?"

He noticed that Evie had been listening with keen interest while eating the algae with the mayonnaise on top. Then he looked directly at Roslin and smiled. "I was able to escape the Sirens because I thought about a woman who is more beautiful than they are, and has a laugh more alluring than anything they could sing."

_You'll remember me when the west wind moves  
Upon the fields of barley_

Roslin blushed and turned back to her dinner. After the meal, Evie played in the living room while the two adults cleaned up the kitchen. "Why did you tell her it was 'Siren food?' That was one of the craziest stories I've ever heard," Roslin inquired.

He chuckled softly as he began to wash the dishes. "Sometimes making up fictitious names for things makes eating more entertaining for children. I'm surprised you didn't encounter that when you taught kindergarten."

She dried what he had washed and placed the dishes neatly in the cabinet near her head. "I usually didn't have to coax a child to eat. Was it right though to tell her such an elaborate story?"

_You can tell the sun in his jealous sky  
When we walked in the fields of gold_

"Why wouldn't it be? She's a little girl and pretending is part of being a kid. After all, she did eat her dinner," he responded.

Her shoulders relaxed and she glanced at her daughter again. "You're right. We, you and I, are bombarded daily with fleet concerns and emergency situations to the point were we can't give ourselves time to do anything fun most of the time. Evie, on the other hand, needs the flexibility."

"There's that, and I remember a certain person who discovered some new fictitious constellations, so I'm not the only one making up things," he reminded.

"Yes, I remember," she said smiling. He was about to head back to the living room when she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bill, I… thank you, for making the food edible to her."

_When we walked in the fields of gold_

He covered her hand with his and squeezed it. "I wasn't making things up when I answered your question about the Sirens though."

She stepped closer, blushing again. "I know."

_When we walked in the fields of gold_

With that he leaned down and kissed her softly. Then they returned to Evie and he read her another story from their cultural mythology, about Pegasus. It took Roslin's best artistic skills to clarify what a Pegasus was. When Roslin went to sleep that night, she wondered to herself why the Cylons had given Evie memories of only a mother.

(My thanks to caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, anastasia1583, carolann, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	10. Winter on the beach

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from the episode, "Taking A Break From All Your Worries." "Winter Sun" is by Dishwalla, from nzhinga72's montage.

Chapter 10: Winter on the beach

A few days had passed and Evie had learned about beaches in day care. Adama was looking after her for the morning and she walked over to him while he sat at his desk. "Bill, what's on a beach?" she inquired.

He looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then back to her. "Beaches have sand, seagulls, seashells, lifeguard stations, even cliffs and trees in some places."

"Can we go to one?" she asked.

"Not for a while. Here," he paused and found a photo in his desk of himself walking along a beach. "This is what a beach looks like."

She stared at the photo for a minute and then looked back at him. "You had whiskers."

He chuckled. "Once in a while."

"Why can't we go to this one?" she questioned.

After letting her crawl up onto his lap, he sighed and began to explain as best he could. "Those shiny men that you don't like destroyed where we all used to live. Now we're trying to find a new home."

"Oh," she said. Then she remembered something and looked directly at him. "I had a nightmare. The shiny men came and they brought a man with dark hair. They were looking for something we wanted," she reiterated.

He blinked a few times, surprised at the revelation. "When did you have this nightmare?"

"At night, before they day we had the Siren food on the green stuff," she explained.

_I've got to talk to Laura about this_, he reasoned. "You'll tell your mother, or me if you have any more of these nightmares?"

"Yes," Evie responded.

While Adama had been watching Evie, Roslin had begun her interrogation of Baltar.

/Roslin entered the cell and handed Baltar his glasses. "Hi," she commented. Then she lit a cigar and handed it to him./

_I could hear you fall,_

/"Touche, madame president," Baltar stated flatly./

/"I have no wish to see you suffer," she mentioned. "It's for your own good, and it's nothing compared to what my people were subjectd to in the jail cells on New Caprica."/

_I could feel your body through the floor,  
And all I see is the red of your blood for the first time_

He did not miss the use of 'my people' that she had used. Was he truly no longer a part of humanity? He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and met her challenge. She hauled him out of the jail cell and began questioning him about his actions on New Caprica, about his dealings with the Cylons.

_the first time_

/"None of us are enjoying this, so tell us what we want to know," she requested./

"Why should I tell you? You don't really give a damn anyway," he retorted.

/"Did you tell anyone about the defense mainframe?" Roslin demanded./

/The Six in his head warned him and he responded, "Lies, all lies. I did not collude in the genocide of my own people!"/

_As i hold you there,_

/Roslin shook her head and moved to show him snapshots of New Caprica victims. Having little luck, she elected for another tactic and turned toward Tigh. "Colonel Tigh, get in here, toss him out of the neares airlock, get him out of here."/

_As I rush your pale life through the door,  
I feel the heat rise up, from your shape in the cold light,_

Scare tactics and guilt did not work. She headed for Adama's quarters, followed by Tigh. The only consolation was an enthusiastic hug from Evie and a warm smile from Adama. He poured the adults drinks. /"You gave it your best shot," he remarked./

_the cold light,_

/Roslin put her head in her hands./ Evie watched her with concern. "Mommy, are you sleepy?"

The president smiled at her daughter's empathy. "No, sweetie. I just need to get my thoughts together." Evie perched on her lap, studying a seashell that Adama had found for her to look at.

_Will the winter sun keep us warm, in these cold times?_

/"Bas-"/ Tigh started to say but was cut off by a sudden sharp glare from Roslin. /"Crazy man still wouldn't talk."/ Evie then left to look through a couple of picture books that Adama had found for her.

/He and Tigh stood and paced the room. "There is one thing," Adama began, "military once ran an experimental interrogation program; creates anxiety so intense; it's dangerous."/

Roslin leaned toward him with interest. /"Are you telling me you have these drugs on board Galactica?"/ He nodded.

_Will the winter sunlight keep you warm, untorn, untorn and alive?_

They let Dee baby-sit Evie during the next part of their interrogation plan. /"I have rights!" Baltar protested as guards led him away./

/"Try not to make any loud noise, put the hand straps on him," Adama instructed when they were all in Life Station./

_See them hold you down,_

/Baltar was injected with the drugs and found himself floating in water. "is there anything you can see that can tell us where you are? Look for the light," the admiral instructed./

/"Did you conspire with her?" Roslin asked, meaning Six./

_Never felt them push me back to the wall,_

/"Give us details about the Cylons," Adama pressed him./

Roslin stepped closer to him. /"Are you a Cylon, Dr. Baltar?"/

/"No," Baltar answered./

/"What do they know?" Adama demanded./

"Did you know about the cloning experiment?" Roslin probed.

"_Say nothing_!" the Six in Baltar's head warned him.

"Cloning experiment? What cloning experiment?" Baltar asked, trying to see if he could get more answers out of Roslin than she could get from him.

_Still i hear you cry terrified for the first time, first time_

"The one that wanted to use human duplicates as Cylon agents," she was not telling him any more than that.

"I don't know anything," Baltar persisted.

_first time_

/"Admiral, we're loosing him. I'm putting an end to this freak show, right now," Cottle told him./

/Later, Adama, Roslin, and Tigh gathered for another meeting. "We tried the stick, time to try the carrot," she remarked./

Adama folded his hands in front of him. "Just what do you propose?"

/"We have to find someone he trusts," she explained./

_Will the winter sun keep us warm, in these cold times?_

/As the others watched from behind the window, Gaeta entered the room as another attempt to wring answers from Baltar. "I can't promise you a trial; I'm sure that you can give them something, anything," he attempted to persuade the other man./

/Gaeta then showed Baltar the charts. Baltar commented that "The calculations are wrong," before redrawing some of them./

_Will the winter sunlight keep you warm,_

/"Maybe we can get you out of this cell, proper quarters," Gaeta suggested./

/Baltar commented that he allowed Gaeta to feed information to the resistance. Gaeta suddenly lost his temper and attacked Baltar with a pen. Roslin, Adama, Tigh, and Cottle were watching and ran out to stop him. Roslin tried to talk him down. Eventually the situation was diffused and Gaeta left with the marines./

_untorn, untorn and alive? alive_

The admiral and the president retrieved Evie and headed to his quarters for dinner. "How was your day, sweetie?" Roslin asked her daughter.

_I would give my life to keep you safe,_

"Mrs. Dee helped me paint a picture. It's the beach. She says it has to dry and I can get it tomorrow," the girl relayed with a grin.

_for a lifetime,_

Then Evie looked over at Adama and eyed him curiously. Due to having no time to wash dishes, he was using a fork instead of a spoon like the other two to eat his green concoction. The girl pointed to him as she blurted out, "Look Mommy, Bill has green whiskers."

_I would give my life to keep you safe,_

The comment was so surprising to Roslin that she giggled like a school girl. Adama smirked and wiped his mouth off. "It's probably a good thing that I don't have a moustache right now. The algae would get stuck in it all the time," he remarked, sending Roslin into another fit of giggles.

_for a lifetime,_

She took a deep breath and recovered herself. "I think I'm going to try and cook something decent from this stuff."

_I would give my life to keep you safe,_

He raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you know how to cook?" he goaded her.

_for a lifetime,_

Crossing her arms, she looked back at him indignantly. "I'll have you know that I cook quite well when I need to. I cooked just fine on New Caprica, and I can probably do just as well on a Battlestar."

Evie looked from Roslin to Adama and scooted closer to her mother. "Mommy, you better do a good job or Bill might eat someplace else."

That caused Adama to chuckle. Roslin shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Honestly. Why don't you two think I can cook?"

He wrapped one arm around her and kissed her cheek. "You're fun to tease," he whispered.

"And you, sir, are incorrigible," she told him, furrowing her brow before kissing him back.

They stayed later into the evening and Evie had fallen asleep on the couch. The two adults decided to continue their discussion in his room. /He sat next to the bed in a rolling desk chair while she reclined on the bed. Baltar was the conversation topic at first./

_Will the winter sunlight keep you warm,_

/"I told him I didn't get any satisfaction in seeing his pain, but the truth is I was willing to let him endure a great deal of suffering, in order to get what I wanted. It wasn't some intelligence, some truth. I wanted a genuine admission of guilt," Roslin confessed./

_untorn, untorn and alive?_

/Adama looked off in the distance for a moment and sighed. "That's something that you're not gonna get from someone like Baltar. He doesn't see himself that way. It's not who he is. In his eyes, he's the victim, not the criminal. It's not too late for him just disappear."/

/She touched his forearm and he faced her. "We can't do that; for all his crimes he's one of us."/

_Will the winter sunlight keep you warm,_

/"So what happens next?" Adama asked./

_will it keep you warm,_

/Her tone was resolved. "We give him his trial."/

Adama had a few more questions. "Laura, did Evie recently tell you about a nightmare regarding the Cylons?"

Roslin paused for a moment and closed her eyes. Then she opened them and spoke. "She said they brought a dark haired man with them and they wanted something we were looking for."

_untorn, untorn and alive,_

"Evie talked to me about it today. When did she have this dream?" he inquired.

"I think it was the day we… you don't think… I mean could she have been seeing the future some how?" Roslin questioned.

_untorn and alive?_

"I don't know, but if you have visions and she's your clone, it's a good guess that she'd have visions of some sort as well. I just think we should keep an eye on it," he recommended. Then she and Evie left his quarters and headed back to _Colonial One_.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, and max72 for reviewing :D)


	11. Controlled chaos

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "The Woman, King." "A Hard Day's Night" is from the Beatles.

Chapter 11: Controlled chaos

Adama leaned forward at his desk with his morning coffee, not in the best of moods after having to call an emergency meeting. Tigh spoke first."So what have we got here?"/

/"Melorack syndrome,"/ Dr. Roberts responded, fixing the sleeves on his green scrubs.

/"How contagious is it?"/ Adama asked, knowing that he would have to explain it to the president as thoroughly as possible.

_It's been a hard day's night,  
And I've been working like a dog,_

Roberts sighed. /"Spreads through human contact." He went on to explain that while the disease was curable, the Sagittarians were skeptical of the modern medical practices./

/"People are gonna die,"/ Adama assessed reluctantly.

Tigh nodded and took a swig of his coffee. /"That's because they're a bunch of stubborn jackasses, holding on to traditions that are a thousand years old."/

_It's been a hard day's night,  
I should be sleeping like a log,_

While Adama discussed the Sagittarian problem, Roslin had her own Sagittarian to debate with. /"Gaius Baltar will be found guilty and finally held responsible for his actions, we will finally get through this ordeal."/

Tom Zarek stood and began pacing. /"There'll be civil unrest on scale you've never seen."/

Roslin shook her head. "I think you underestimate the decision-making capabilities of the survivors of New Caprica to remember what an imbecile Baltar has been."

/"If I were you, I'd declare Marshall Law," he told her, leaning with his hands on her desk./

"Then I'm very glad you're not me. Tom, this is not a matter in which to use such a drastic measure," Roslin argued.

_But when I get home to you_

"Laura, with all due respect, someone's going to have to watch the followers of that man in the cell," Zarek pointed out.

She stood and crossed her arms. "Maybe so, but I will not-" she stopped as the phone rang. "Hello? Miss Porter, why… missing? I'll be right there," Roslin stated as she hung up. "Tom, you'll have to excuse me. I've got a small emergency to take care of."

_I find the things that you do,  
Will make me feel alright.  
_

She stood and he followed her out of the office. "What sort of emergency? Can't it way until we finish this matter?"

"My niece is missing," she said before entering the Raptor.

Her security detail almost had to jog to keep up with her as she reached the day care center. Miss Porter waited for her at the door. "Madame President, I've got four people looking for her, but they haven't been back yet."

Roslin took a deep breath and tried to be calm. "Would you please tell me what happened?"

Miss Porter shifted from one foot to the other nervously. "Mr. Carlisle came in to pick up his daughter and something about him scared your niece. She bolted out of the door before we could stop her."

_You know I work all day,  
To get you money to buy you things,_

"Which way?" the president questioned.

"We don't know," the other woman replied. Roslin exited from the left side of the room with Miss Porter following. She looked down the hall through the rush of people passing through.

"I don't remember what Mr. Carlisle looks like," Roslin remarked.

"He's about your height, brown hair, wears military jackets. Oh, and he has a prosthetic leg," Miss Porter mentioned.

A realization occurred to Roslin. "Could someone have seen the leg, or was it covered by pants?"

"I'm not sure. Today his pants were a bit short. I suppose his ankles were visible. Why?"

"Evie might have thought he was a Cylon and panicked," Roslin hypothesized.

She still had not located the girl when Adama rounded a corner. "Madame President," he greeted, noticing the teacher with her.

"Admiral," Roslin returned as they shook hands and then she introduced him to Miss Porter. "What brings you here?"

_And it's worth it just to hear you say,  
You're gonna give me ev'rything,_

"I called Tory, wanting to update you on a few issues. She told me you'd be here, but she was vague on exactly why," he replied.

Roslin sighed deeply. "Evie's missing. We've been searching he halls and I have no idea where she could've gone."

_So why on earth should I moan,_

He heard the worry in her voice, and realized that he would need to appear on duty if he decided to help her. They still had their public images to protect. "Miss Porter, why don't you back track and try the other direction while I accompany the president this way?" he suggested. When the teacher left, Roslin eyed him curiously. "If I update you while we look, it won't seem suspicious."

_'Cause when I get you alone,  
You know I feel okay._

She nodded and they continued walking. "I wish I had some idea where she could've gone. I'm surprised we haven't seen her yet. Maybe she went the other way."

"That could be. If you were a child and something scared you out of your mind, where would you go?" he stated.

"When I was little, if I was scared I ran to my grandfather's house. He lived next door for most of my childhood," she mentioned. Then the wheels began to turn in her mind and she faced him. "I went somewhere that I knew was safe. I wonder if she tried to find your quarters," Roslin suggested.

Adama thought for a moment. "You could be right, in which case we are going in the right direction."

When a few people passed by, the two decided to brief each other on the day's events. "I spoke with Zarek. He's worried about the following that Baltar has an odd habit of acquiring," Roslin told him.

"Zarek actually worried? Might be that the situation with the Sagittarian passengers is getting to him," Adama hypothesized.

"Possibly. What did you want to brief me on?" she inquired.

"There's a Dr. Roberts working with the Sagittarians. Apparently several of them have melorack syndrome. The treatment conflicts with their beliefs though. It's spread through human contact, so everyone working with them has been receiving injections," he explains.

_When I'm home ev'rything seems to be right,_

Rosin ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Deities, I hope this gets under control fast. The last thing we need is an epidemic."

They passed an open storage room and something about it caused Roslin to stop. "What is it?" Adama asked.

"This is the first open door we've seen since we left the day care center. If Evie couldn't find your quarters, she may have tried to hide somewhere closer," Roslin suggested.

As they entered the room, Roslin heard a shuffling sound from underneath the table at the far end. She walked over to it and knelt down. Evie was under it holding her knees to her chest, clutching her bear tightly. "Sweetie, what are you doing down there?"

_When I'm home feeling you holding me  
Tight, tight, yeah._

The girl looked up and reached for her mother. Sitting on the floor, Roslin held the girl in her arms for a while as she spoke. "Mommy, the shiny men are here! They have skin! A man came to day care and he had skin, but his leg was shiny!"

"Why did you run away?" her mother asked.

"I was trying to tell Bill," she stated. Roslin looked up at Adama. She had been right; Evie was looking for his quarters.

"Why don't we head back to my quarters and sort this out there?" he recommended, it being awkward to talk on the floor of a storage room.

Roslin nodded and picked up Evie. Her back was stable enough so that she could carry the girl for a while without too much strain. They passed a few people in the hall who gawked at them strangely. Roslin suspected that someone might have taken a picture as well. When they reached Adama's quarters, she set Evie on the couch and phoned Miss Porter to tell her that Evie had been found.

Hanging up the phone, Roslin sat down next to Evie and Adama took a seat on the other end of the couch. "Sweetie, that man you saw wasn't a shiny man, a Cylon," Roslin paused, trying to find a way to explain it in simple terms. "Sometimes when people hurt their arms and legs, the owies can't be fixed. The man you saw today had to get a new leg because his other one had owies that couldn't heal."

She hoped she had made some sense as she watched Evie process what she had been told. "Legs and arms can't grow back?" the girl questioned.

Roslin shook her head. "That's why he has a metal leg."

"Oh," Evie responded. Then she yawned.

"Sweetie, how about a nap?" Roslin asked, rubbing the girl's back.

"She can use my bed," Adama offered.

Evie smiled at him and wandered over to give him a hug. "Can you keep the shiny men away?"

"Sure," he responded.

"Okay," she replied.

Once Evie was tucked into his bed with her bear, Roslin and Adama returned to his living room to talk. "It's eerie how close she came to understanding what my pilots call 'skin jobs,'" he mentioned, handing Roslin a glass of water.

She took an appreciative gulp. "Yes. There's something almost uncanny about her understanding of Cylons."

"Were you that observant as a child?" he inquired, glancing toward the sleeping girl in the bedroom.

"No," Roslin commented. "That's what makes this all very strange. I was a curious child, and I was mischievous, but never as observant as Evie is. I suppose it's partly due to her environment. I mean she-" the phone interrupted her and he moved to answer it.

_It's been a hard day's night,  
And I've been working like a dog,_

"Adama. She's right here. Hold on a minute," he stated, handing the phone to Roslin. "It's Tory."

"Hello, Tory. Yes, I've found her. Oh, I completely forgot. I'll meet you over there," she ended, hanging up the phone. Then she faced the admiral. "I forgot that I was going to observe the blonde Cylon for a while."

_It's been a hard day's night,  
I should be sleeping like a log,_

"I don't want you doing any interrogating without me there. It's not safe enough," he mentioned. The reality was that though he trusted her security detail, he wanted to protect her himself.

She put up a hand dismissively. "I'm only observing. I just don't know what to do with Evie though. I really don't want to drag her back to day care."

_But when I get home to you,_

"She's still taking a nap. I can watch her for a few more hours," he suggested.

Touched by his kindness, she smiled. "I appreciate it, but won't you be missed in CIC?"

"Saul knows how to find me if there's a problem. Now go. The sooner you get back, the sooner you can watch her yourself," he suggested rationally.

"Thanks," she said before kissing him softly and then darting out of his quarters.

_I find the things that you do,  
Will make me feel alright_

/Roslin and Tory watched as the blonde Cylon turned her head and seemed to pay attention to something unseen. "What do you think she's doing now?" Tory inquired./

/"She's talking to someone or something," Roslin responded./

_You know I work all day,  
To get you money to buy you things,_

While the president observed Six, Adama received a few visitors. "Am I needed in CIC?" Adama asked Tigh as Helo and Cottle followed him.

"Nope. This has to do with the Sagittarians," he reassured the admiral.

/Helo updated the three others on the situation. Cottle continued to defend the integrity of his colleague. Adama looked at Helo and sighed heavily. "Captain, the former president is in a cell, the Cylon woman is in custody, the ship is full beyond capacity. Are you capable of dong your job without making these foolish accusations?"/

Knowing he would need more proof, Helo left. Cottle soon followed, but Tigh lingered a moment. "What'er you still doing here, Bill?"

"Laura's daughter is taking a nap and I don't want to leave her by herself," he began. Then he told Tigh about the day care incident and Roslin needing to leave.

Tigh smirked. "Seems like you've been doing a lot of this baby-sitting stuff lately. You should start telling her to pay you." The glare from the admiral quieted anything else he was about to say before returning to CIC.

_And it's worth it just to hear you say,  
You're gonna give me ev'rything,_

The president returned half an hour later. "I really appreciate you watching her like this."

"It's no problem. Anything new with the Cylon?" he inquired.

_So why on earth should I moan,_

She shook her head. "She talks to herself like Baltar. That was the only thing we noticed." Then Roslin woke Evie up and the two returned to _Colonial One_ while Adama headed toward CIC.

_'Cause when I get you alone,  
You know I feel okay._

Later Helo unearthed evidence in medical files that there were far more Sagittarian deaths than the survivors from the other worlds. Dee had fallen ill and had seen Dr. Roberts. With Cottle and Tigh, Helo found Dee sedated and his theories had been proven correct.

Adama called Helo to his office and spoke as they stood facing each other. /"There's hate and allowing hate,… we're guilty of both. Somewhere we got lost, you being the lone voice of the wilderness… this is my ship, and I owe you an apology."

/"Not necessary sir,"/ Helo said humbly.

/"All the same, you still have it, that'll be all, Captain," the admiral stated. They saluted and Helo left. Adama sat in his chair and sighed heavily. Too many long days. _The last thing we need now with so few survivors is a man so prejudice that he's blind to it_. After a drink he decided to call Roslin.

_When I'm home ev'rything seems to be right,_

"What is it, Bill?" she responded. Hearing her voice somehow made him feel better.

_When I'm home feeling you holding me  
Tight, tight, yeah_

"The Sagittarian issue's been dealt with. Is this a secure line?" he probed. She confirmed that it was and he continued. "One of the doctors there was helping them get to the Elysian fields."

"Do you mean euthanasia?" she inquired.

"No. I mean he was killing them off. He almost hurt Dee. Helo uncovered everything though," Adama mentioned.

_It's been a hard day's night,  
And I've been working like a dog,_

Roslin sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes. "Well at least that's one good thing."

_It's been a hard day's night,  
I should be sleeping like a log,_

"How's Evie?" the admiral asked, tired of the previous subject.

The president glanced over her shoulder to where Evie sat on the floor coloring. "She's doing quite well. Those drawing she likes to do are looking better too. I gave her some blank paper today and her pictures actually look like dinosaurs."

"Sounds good. Well, goodnight, Laura," he said.

_But when I get home to you,_

Something in his tired tone bothered her. "Goodnight Bill. Are you alright?""

He smiled on his end at her concern. "I am now."

_I find the things that you do,  
Will make me feel alright._

As they hung up, she could not shake off the feeling of worry. What they had both forgotten about were the people who noticed the three of them walking to Adama's quarters after finding Evie that afternoon.

(My thanks to anastasia1583, caramelapples, and miss mcGonagle for reviewing :D)


	12. A day of guilt

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. From: A Day in the Life. "You and Me" is by Lighthouse from LelianaMcKay's montage.

Chapter 12: A day of guilt

Adama knew exactly what morning it was the minute he opened his eyes. _Frak, here it is again. This is going to be a long day_, he thought as he poured himself a glass of Virgonese brandy. Tigh knocked shortly, bringing the morning reports with him as well as the paper. "So it's that day again," he commented, seeing the brandy.

He only received a grunt in response. The reports were nothing out of the usual, but the paper caught his attention. Tigh had left before the admiral had begun to read it. "Frak, I've got to see Laura before this goes any farther," he said aloud.

When he met with her, he brought the paper with him. "Madame President."

_What day is it? And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive_

"Admiral," she returned the formal greeting. "Evie wanted to go back to day care today," she mentioned.

He nodded as though he was not wholly paying attention, then he stepped closer and thrust the newspaper out to her. "We've got a problem."

_I can't keep up and I can't back down  
I've been losing so much time_

She took the paper and studied it with curiosity. Then she looked at the article in the right column, complete with pictures: President's Niece Goes Missing; Admiral Leaves CIC To Help. The article hinted at a relationship under the guise of a military and civilian alliance. When she had finished reading the article, she slammed the newspaper down on the table in disgust.

"This is the shabbiest piece of research I've seen in a while. They don't care about accuracy anymore! It's mostly gossip!" she fumed.

"I know. Without the Cylons, they're hurting for news," he commented.

Roslin huffed and paced the room. "The question is what do we do about this? Do I need to hold a press conference that reminds the press of their duties?"

_Cause it's you and me and all other people with nothing to do_

He took her hands in his to calm her. It seemed to work as she took a deep breath. He faced her and spoke. "There isn't much we can do. If we acknowledge these rumors, there will only be more questions. If we brush them off and keep doing our jobs, they are bound to run out of steam when they see they can't get a rise out of us. Sometimes our reporters are like rebellious children. They only want a rise out of their parents."

_Nothing to lose_

"So we are the parents of the fleet?" she asked with a smirk.

_And it's you and me and all other people_

"Could be," he replied. /After giving her a few more reports and discussing more of Baltar's upcoming trial, they decided that Lee should be asked to be part of the legal planning because he could make the hard decisions./ Then they went their separate ways for the day.

Adama received word that a problem had occurred with one of the airlock repair crews and headed in the direction. /He found a few other repairmen watching Cally and Tyrol from behind the window of the control panel. Hearing the two argue and then worry reminded him even more of his failed marriage with Caroline. Then they discussed their son and asked him to see that the boy would be taken care of and Adama felt the weight of the world on his shoulders in that instant./

/Trying a risky maneuver, he opened the doors and let Tyrol and Cally float to a Raptor. They were in serious medical condition. But they were alive. Adama visited them in Life Station before walking to meet with the president in the board room again./ His mind was not on the walk as thoughts swirled through his mind. _What if those two had died? What would've become of their son? Could I have saved my marriage if Carolann and I had talked things out more? What about Laura? What would happen to Evie if, deities forbid, something happens to Laura?_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

His feet reached the board room and his mind jolted to the present. He entered and they greeted each other with smiles. Hers seemed to be particularly bright for some reason. /"I'm glad you stopped by. I have something for you," she mentioned, handing him a book/.

/"Blood Runs at Midnight," he said the title aloud/.

/"It was given to me by one of the colonists on New Caprica and I forgot about it and Tory found it in a pile of old clothes. Don't let the title fool you, it's a pretty good mystery. I think you'll like it, and it's not a loan, it's a gift," she explained/.

_All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right_

He paused, knowing that he had to be careful how he phrased the question. /"You ever think about the times on New Caprica,/ before the Cylons came?"

She raised an eyebrow and answered, "Sometimes."

/He sat on the edge of the table. "Regarding the times there, one in particular stands out in my mind. You were wearing a really bright read dress. Said you wanted to build a cabin," he remarked, smiling at her/.

/Recognition flashed in her eyes. "It was Baltar's ground breaking ceremony. I got a little silly that night."/ _Are you finally hinting at what I hope you're hinting at? I wish you would make up your mind one way or the other. This morning you were all about avoiding scandals. Now you're flirting with me_.

/"Ever wonder what would've happened, if the Cylons hadn't come back?" he inquired/.

/She crossed her arms. "Well I think given Baltar and the terrain we couldn't have made a go of it. What about you? Do you think you would have stayed on _Galactica_, or do you think you would have settled?/

He considered the morning paper again. _We shouldn't be having this conversation. We've got responsibilities, people who depend on us. But is the status quo still good enough?_/"It's pretty hypothetical, isn't it?"/

/"It is. Until it isn't," she commented before having a good laugh. "Did I just say that?"/

She was beautiful when she laughed, simply beautiful. /"It was worth it to see you laugh like that," he said in that gravely voice that she loved. "We've been at war so long, sometimes we forget what we're fighting for, raise our kids in peace, enjoy one another's company. Live life, like people again."/

/She grinned. "Like that night on New Caprica, I think that's what we're talking about here now, isn't it?"/

_I'm tripping on words  
You've got my head spinning_

/"That and… other times," he paused, attempting not to let his feelings get the better of him/.

/"So if the Cylons hadn't come back?" she pursued./

_I don't know where to go from here_

He gently touched her face and cupped her cheek. "What is it?" she asked with a smirk.

_Press be damned, I want this moment_. "Something I wanted to do that night, but didn't," he replied in his gravely voice as he closed the distance between them and kissed her warmly.

She kissed him back and they did not separate until the need to breath became a necessity. Then they pressed their foreheads together. "Bill," was all she could articulate. _Press be damned, I'm not fighting this anymore_.

"I've wanted to do that since Baltar won the election. I hope your constituents realize now what a stupid choice he was," Adama mentioned.

"That frakker," she commented with a wry smile as they faced each other.

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow. "Why Madame President, I'm surprised at you. You do have a daughter these days."

"Yes I do sir, a daughter who is in day care at the moment," she replied mischievously before kissing him again.

He stepped back though as they parted. She sighed, waiting to hear the usual excuses about why it would never work. "We need to talk about this, about 'us.' Dinner?"

She blinked, still trying to deduce how his mind worked. _Just when I think I have him all figured out._ "You are one confusing man, Bill Adama, but alright, I'll come."

Evie came to dinner also and chatted pleasantly about the play-dough sculptures the group made in day care. After the meal, Roslin was not letting Adama off the hook. She turned to the girl and handed her the coloring book they had managed to make. "Evie, why don't you go color in the kitchen for a while? I need to talk to Bill."

_Cause it's you and me and all other people with nothing to do_

She nodded and said, "Okay," as she left the table.

Roslin helped Adama clear the table and then they took glasses of water with them. She sat on his couch while he lingered at his desk. "I heard about Chief Tyrol and his wife."

"They almost died today, and their son would've been orphaned," he admitted gruffly.

She folded her hands in her lap. "That's not the story I heard. You saved their lives."

_Nothing to prove_

He glanced at Evie. "I cut it too close."

"There you go with the 'too close' cryptic responses again. It's over and everyone's still alive," she pointed out.

In that instant he faced her. "But what about the next time? What if it's you that I have to help out of something dangerous? I don't know if this can really work."

His eyes revealed his inner turmoil and she looked straight at him, meeting the challenge. "What's going on, Bill? Is it me? Have I done something, because if I remember, you kissed me first," she mentioned, her tone not loud enough for Evie to overhear.

Adama sighed heavily and shook his head. "Wasn't you. If I'd be honest with myself, I wouldn't mind a real relationship with you, but the positions we have demand that nothing can be seized on by the press as scandal. I gave into a weakness in the conference room. It's bad enough that my own officers think we're seeing each other because you're spending more time on my ship."

_And it's you and me and all other people_

"Bill, I realize that. I know full well what the press, or the Quorum could do. And you know what? I've realized today that it doesn't matter anymore. Ever since we got back from New Caprica, you and I have been working more closely together, not just in our professional lives, but our personal lives. I want to be a part of your personal life, more than I've ever wanted to be a part of anyone else's. We just have to be very careful. Why are you still closing the door?" she probed. "Don't you and I deserve a chance to be happy?"

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

He grabbed a framed picture off his desk and walked over to the couch before sitting. Then he handed it to her. "That was Caroline, Zack and Lee's mother. Today would've been our twenty-ninth anniversary."

Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him quizzically. "Weren't you divorced from her?"

_There's something about you now_

"Yes, but there are so many things I did wrong in that marriage. I followed orders and left when I was told to leave, and consequently I left her alone to raise two boys," he admitted, looking out into the room.

_I can't quite figure out_

"She's dead though, isn't she?" Roslin inquired, standing.

He nodded. "I screwed up the most important relationship in my life at the time, and I'm hesitant to do it again."

She began pacing. _He did say 'at the time.' Does that mean- I shouldn't fool myself like this. I want to get to the bottom of this_. "If she's dead and you were divorced from her, why are you doing this to yourself?"

Sitting forward, he folded his hands and looked up at her. "I suppose you could call it paying a penance."

_Everything she does is beautiful_

Roslin stopped pacing and stood directly in front of him with her hands on her hips. "You do this every year, don't you?" she pause and he nodded. She shook her head. "A day of guilt is what this is. Are you listening to what you've been saying? You've got a day of guilt!"

"It's no less than I deserve," he mumbled.

_Are you frakking kidding me? Why is he so dense?_ She moved forward and bent to grasp his shoulders. "I thought you were over this whole martyr thing after you let Chief Tyrol beat the crap out of you," she pointed out.

_Everything she does is right_

"But this was my fault!" he argued.

She leaned closer, resting one knee on the couch next to his right leg, looming over him as if she could somehow dive into his mind. "Bill Adama gets to have his own personal day of guilt. Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? Deities! The Cylons were not your fault, New Caprica was not your fault, and from what I understand from casual comments that Lee's made, your problems with your wife were not your fault either. Do you really think that you have so much influence on the universe that everything is your fault? That's awfully egotistical of you," she pointed out.

_Cause it's you and me and all other people with nothing to do_

"I guess I never thought of it like that before," he remarked.

_Nothing to lose_

"Bill, hear me out. The fleet doesn't need a martyr; they need the admiral." Then she added softly, "I don't need a martyr; I need Bill. I need you. Promise me that you will stop this idiotic 'day of guilt' and quit being a martyr over things that you can no longer control," she demanded quietly.

He was amused by the fact that she still held onto his shoulders and tried to hide it by being obstinate. "And if I don't?" he asked calmly.

_And it's you and me and all other people_

"Then I'm not moving until you do!" she retorted adamantly.

A smirk appeared on his face, but it morphed into a chuckle. She glared at him dangerously. "What is so funny?"

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you  
and me and all other people with nothing to do_

"The fact that you're lecturing me while practically sitting in my lap," he blurted out.

She sighed and smirked as she rested her forehead against his. "You're being impertinent."

"I thought I was being facetious," he commented.

_Nothing to prove_

He had moved little while she had broken into her tirade. At that moment, he reached around her waist and pulled her to him, their lips meeting halfway. She had no resistance to the kiss and returned it soundly, threading her fingers through his hair. When they broke for air, she was indeed sitting in his lap.

_And it's you and me and all other people_

"What are we going to do about this?" her voice was a whisper.

"We'll do what we usually do and wing it. I think we're a little old to be asking each other out," he responded.

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

She giggled heartily and extracted herself from his lap, reseating herself next to him. "True. I'm not even sure if saying 'we're dating' would be the way to describe it."

"Why don't we call it a partnership and see where it goes from there?" he recommended.

Kissing him on the cheek, she acquiesced, but then sat up straighter. "I can accept that, but you still owe me a promise."

'You're not going to let that one go, are you?" he deduced.

"Nope," she replied.

He gently rested a hand on her knee. "Alright then. I promise to stop being a martyr. Is that good enough?"

She shook her head. "Almost, but there is one more thing. No more 'day of guilt' either. I'm not planning on sharing you with a ghost. It's time you let her rest in peace."

Roslin was not backing down; he could see it in her eyes. He also knew that she was right. If he was honest with himself, he would admit that he did not want to share her with anyone else either. He stood and walked over to the desk, taking the picture of himself and Caroline with him. Opening his file cabinet, he shoved the picture in it face down. Then he walked back to Roslin and cupped her face with one hand, leaned down, and kissed her affectionately.

"No more ghosts," he said as they parted.

Evie dashed into the room a moment later. "Mommy, Bill, look what I colored!"

She was proud of how well she had stayed in the lines of the dog as she showed the adults her progress. "That's good," Adama relayed.

"Yes, good job, Evie," Roslin added. "We should probably be going soon," she said to him.

_What day is it?_

Evie gave him a hug. "Bye!"

_And in what month?_

"Bye, Evie," he stated. Then he took Roslin's hands in his and kissed her lightly. "Goodnight, Laura."

_This clock never seemed so alive_

She blushed and smiled back. "Goodnight, Bill," she responded before returning the kiss warmly. Then she grasped Evie's hand and they headed back to _Colonial One_.

(My thanks to caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	13. Creative scenario

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "Dirty Hands." "Paperback Writer" is by the Beatles.

Chapter 13: Creative scenario

Roslin had left Evie on Galactica for the morning, wanting the girl to socialize with the other children. The president had endured an early morning Quorum meeting and then returned to _Colonial One_ with Tory to gather her notes for three later meetings. As Roslin sat at her desk, Tory happened to glance out of the window and see a Raptor drifting toward the ship. She raced over to the president and grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her from her seat.

"Tory, what are you-"

Her aide broke in. "Madame President, there isn't time!"

Roslin looked over her shoulder to see what Tory had noticed and the two women ran over to the next room, closing the door behind them. They braced themselves against the walls as the Raptor collided with the ship, sending tremors through it. Then they heard the alarm indicating a hull breach. _Thank the deities I left Evie on Galactica_, Roslin thought to herself.

As Adama stood in CIC, he had just witnessed the Raptor bounce off of _Colonial One_. He knew that Evie was in day care and worries about what might have happened to Roslin swam through his mind. _Gods Laura, please be okay. What am I going to do if you're not? What's going to happen to Evie if you're not?_

His fears were alleviated when the phone rang and Roslin was on the other end. "Admiral, just thought I'd tell you that everyone's fine over here."

"That's good to know, Madame President. Do you know if the hull's been breached?" he inquired.

"Not yet. We've got a few injuries here, but we're a little in the dark as to how the ship faired," she mentioned.

"I'll be right over with a medical team," he added before hanging up.

The hull had been breached and a crude seal was placed to allow temporary movement in the area. However, Roslin and a few others had to move boxes and files so that repairs could be made. Adama let the medical team treat the others while he found her. She jumped and dropped the box of files that she was holding when she felt two hands on her shoulders.

"I didn't mean to startle you," a familiar gravely voice stated.

She turned to face him, smiling coyly. "I figured that," she said before they hugged.

Their eyes met and she could see how worried he had been. "I'm glad you're alright," he remarked.

"What's the damage?" she questioned.

He sighed and watched her for a moment. "The Raptor that hit you was out of fuel. You won't be using your own office until repairs are finished."

"Which means I'll be working next to wherever I end up sleeping," she assessed. "At least the spot that Tory thinks I should take has room for the couch as well as my bed. Evie's been sleeping on the couch."

As they returned to moving boxes, he spoke again. /"If your quarters become too cramped, there's always room for you in one of my beds."/

Her head shot up and she looked at him incredulously. "Don't push your luck," she retorted with a smirk. Then she spotted the five o'clock shadow on his upper lip. "Growing the moustache back?"

"Evie asked me about whiskers, as you recall." He chuckled and shook his head before walking over to her again. "You can use my office for a while if you'd like."

She smiled back. "Thank you. The moustache did look good on you, by the way. I wanted to see Evie before my next meeting anyway." He noticed her hesitation before she continued. "I know this is a military matter, but do you plan on talking to the people in charge of the fuel?"

"Why don't you come with me?" he offered.

_Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?_

He and Roslin met with Xenno Fenner an hour later, after Roslin had visited briefly with her daughter. /"I've had people working eighteen hour shifts for the past six months. How long do you think a man can keep that up?" Fenner expressed./

Adama was in no mood to hear complaints for laziness. /If Cylons show up, we have enough fuel, to jump the entire fleet but once, maybe twice. That's a margin that's much too narrow for me, how about you and your men? You have a problem? Fix it."/

_It took me years to write, will you take a look?_

/"Just get the gas flowing, and then we will talk, I promise you that," Roslin relayed.

Fenner stared at her, as if he was addressing an inferior. "'Then we'll talk,' it's always later. Now, it's funny that when the gas flows, my phone calls don't get returned, but the minute there's a glitch in the fuel supply I get face time with both the president and the admiral. Hmm, maybe we should start having more glitches," he stated sardonically./

_Based on a novel by a man named Lear_

Roslin blinked. /"Is that a threat?"/

Fenner spoke to her as if addressing someone much younger. /"It's like the book says, 'If you hear the people, you'll never have to fear the people."/

_And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,_

/"Did you say 'the book?" Roslin demanded quietly./

/"Mhmm" the man said arrogantly./

With her usual calm reserve, she spoke again without taking her eyes off him. /"Guards, arrest him for extortion, and interrupting vital services during a time of war. Take him away, that's it, out of here. Go."/

One of the guards grabbed his arm. /"Come with me, sir."/

/"Baltar's book," Roslin muttered, shaking her head./

_paperback writer_

/"He's in his cell, and the guards are watching," Adama told her./

/"He's having it reprinted and passed around among the fleet, calling it My Triumphs, My Mistakes, by Gaius Baltar. I am thinking of having a good old fashioned book-burning," she grumbled. She and the admiral then called Tyrol to arrange for a meeting to discuss the work situation./

The next trip on Roslin's agenda was a trip to Baltar's cell. Adama accompanied her and decided to watch from behind the glass panel. She strode into the brig and a guard opened the door. "Hello, Dr. Baltar," she began as two guards followed her in.

_paperback writer_

He raised an eyebrow, not standing from his cot. "Well Madame President, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Search the place," she told the guards. Then she faced the man. "You've got an unauthorized manuscript floating around and it's going to stop now."

He stood when a guard pointed a gun at him so that he would move. The cot was searched and Baltar spoke again. "So you've decided that I must be hiding it here, in this tiny excuse for a cell?"

_It's the dirty story of a dirty man_

"Can't have you stirring up an angry mob, can we?" she asked dryly.

"Let's skip the niceties then, shall we? Obviously you came here to confiscate something I don't have," he argued.

_And his clinging wife doesn't understand._

She shook her head. "You've got a pen and paper somewhere. Considering that this is for the safety of the fleet, I will have you strip-searched."

/At her blunt statement, the Six in his head told him to capitulate and give up the materials. Slowly he removed the pen and paper from his pants./ The guards took them and then left him alone with the president, having one guard stand outside of the cell.

_His son is working for the Daily Mail,_

He watched her pace the cell, knowing that it was not over yet. "There's something else you want, isn't there?"

Stepping closer to him, she placed her hands on her hips. "What do you know about the cloning experiment?"

_It's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer,_

"That again? I told you I don't know anything!" he insisted.

_paperback writer_

She shook her head. "You're the only one who had enough knowledge to pull it off."

_paperback writer_

"I still don't know what you are talking about! And how would you know so much about a project that was probably top secret?" he probed.

"That's not your concern, Dr. Baltar. My sources are my business. For the technology applied, you had to have some your dirty hands in it somewhere. What did the Cylons offer you, Gaius? Immortality?" she asked ruthlessly.

_It's a thousand pages, give or take a few,_

"_She knows, Gaius. You'd better come up with a good comeback, or a good lie_," the Six in his head told him.

_I'll be writing more in a week or two._

He stared at the president for a long moment, contemplating the best course of action. At last he settled on the plan that would cause him the least amount of trouble and sat back nonchalantly in his cot. "I really don't know what in Hades you are talking about. The Cylons are a group that evolves and makes improvements upon itself. It is possible that the Cylons, or a Cylon model, are responsible for this supposed cloning experiment."

_I can make it longer if you like the style,_

"Very well, Dr. Baltar. I'll leave you with your invisible friend," she remarked before leaving his cell, having the guard lock it behind her.

Before she left the room, Baltar wanted the last word. "Oh, Madame President," he called. She turned in the doorway. "I would be more concerned about the rumors concerning you and the admiral instead of some silly cloning experiment if I were you." Without a word she turned and walked away.

_I can change it round and I want to be a paperback writer,_

Adama left the viewing room and caught up to her at his quarters. They entered and she took a seat on his couch while he sat at the desk. "I still think he's lying," she stated.

_paperback writer_

"It just means you'll have to question the blonde Cylon again," Adama told her.

She walked over to him, spreading her hands on his desk. "And what about the rumors, Bill? I know we talked about the press, but Baltar could invent-"

"What could he say that hasn't been hinted at already? Besides, you've got more dirt on him than he's got on you," Adama said matter-of-factly. Roslin ran a hand through her hair and he stood, pulling her into a hug. "Right now he's a rat in a cage trying to get a foot out any way he can. Let it go."

_paperback writer_

She turned and kissed him soundly. "I'm going to visit Evie before we meet with Chief Tyrol," she commented.

He nodded and she left for the day care center. Miss Porter welcomed her with the usual smile. "Good afternoon, Madame President."

Roslin smiled and nodded. "Miss Porter. I just wanted to check on Evie. How has she been playing with the other children?"

"Quite well. She's got a terrific imagination, leading a few of the other kids on all sorts of adventures," the teacher relayed.

"We've been reading her our cultural mythology," Roslin explained.

"That explains a lot," Miss Porter responded.

Roslin walked over to where Evie was playing with play-dough. The girl looked up and exclaimed, "Mommy!" before hugging Roslin.

The woman hugged her back securely. "Hi sweetie. Are you having fun?"

"Yes," the girl said with a grin. "Look what I made!"

Roslin studied the blue serpentine creature, noticing paddle-like legs. "It's interesting. Is it from one of the stories you've been hearing?"

Evie giggled. "No, Mommy. It's one I made up, sort of. It's kind of like a dinosaur and a sea monster."

"That's very inventive. What do you think it does?" Roslin asked, encouraging the girl's imagination.

"It swims in the water and it eats shiny people," Evie stated rationally. "Are we going home now?"

Roslin finger-brushed her daughter's hair. "I want to take you home and call it a day, but I have to work more."

Evie sighed and folded her hands. "I don't want you to go."

Pulling her close for one more hug, Roslin kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry. If I could spend all day with you, I would. But I need to talk to some people and I don't want you to get hurt. I promise I'll pick you up later."

"Okay," Evie finally acquiesced.

The president took one last look at her daughter before leaving. "Call me if she seems really upset," Roslin requested of Miss Porter.

"Of course. One more thing," Miss Porter began and Roslin nodded, "Who is Bill?"

Roslin blinked, attempting to contain her surprise. "Why do you ask?"

Miss Porter calked her head to one side at the president's evasive answer. "Evie talks about things he tells her once in a while. She's mentioned the story about the Golden Fleece, beaches, ships, a few things here and there."

"Bill's a friend… of mine," Roslin mumbled before leaving.

/The remainder of the day dealt with Tyrol and shift changes. At first, rotating anyone who had some sort of experience seemed like a good idea, but then people began to get hurt because they had no real training. A mob mentality was starting to build in the lower decks. It was extinguished only by threatening to airlock Cally and conducting a discussion about mutiny with the chief. After the ruckus died down, Roslin discussed a union plan with Tyrol./

Roslin went to retrieve Evie and found the girl blissfully playing with the other children. "Evie, sweetie, it's time to go home," she called. The girl looked up and ran to Roslin for a hug.

"Can we go see Bill?" she asked.

"Of course," Roslin replied, hoping that the teacher had not overheard.

They knocked on Adama's quarters. He grinned and let them in. "Quite a day," the admiral remarked. Evie found the crayons and paper while Roslin sat down on the couch and slipped her shoes off.

"It certainly has. Would you really have airlocked Cally?" she inquired.

He sat down next to her, eyes focusing on the wall. "No. I might have airlocked him through. I'm very glad it didn't come to that."

"I feel like making something out of the algae this time. Come with me and we can talk while I cook," she suggested while she stood.

_If you really like it you can have the rights,_

Following her, he could not help the joke. "Sure you won't burn it by being distracted?"

She hit him playfully with a potholder. "Bill Adama, my cooking is fine!"

_It could make a million for you overnight._

"We'll see," he said wryly.

_If you must return it, you can send it here_

She was quiet for a while as she collected a few ingredients. "I'm so glad that Evie was over here when my ship was struck," Roslin commented.

Adama cleared his throat and Roslin raised an eyebrow. "Laura, I've been thinking about that. What's going to happen to her if something should happen to you?"

Taking a deep breath, she processed the seriousness of his question. "I suppose, given my job, I should make a few provisions."

"Just something to keep in mind," he added before seating himself.

_But I need a break and I want to be a paperback writer,_

Using bits of seasoning and the stove as well as a bit of flour and a pot, she had managed to make a boiled veggie meat cooked in a green roll. While she was waiting for it to finish cooking, she remembered that Adama had been very quiet. She turned and noticed that he was not in the chair. Then she peered out into the living room to see him reading to Evie. _I wish things could always be like this_, she mused before finishing dinner.

_paperback writer_

Both Adama and Evie were pleased with dinner. "Mommy, you're a good cook," Evie mentioned.

Roslin smiled. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Thanks for making dinner," Adama said with his mouth full.

"You're welcome, but don't teach her bad habits," she scolded him.

"Sorry," he stated.

"Mommy, what's a bad habit?" Evie inquired.

Roslin smirked at Adama. "Talking with your mouth full."

The wheels turned in Evie's head as she thought about how to respond. "But Mommy, Bill ate all his dinner. If he eats all his dinner, why does he have a bad habit?"

_paperback writer_

Adama chuckled at Evie's logic. Roslin glared at him and then sighed, letting a wry grin slip through. "Talking with your mouth full is a bad habit because food might fall out while you talk. Eating with your mouth full and talking have nothing to do with finishing your dinner."

Evie eyed her curiously and Adama was still laughing. Roslin wondered what was so funny, and then she mentally replayed what she had just said. Evie helped to clarify it further. "Mommy, if you don't eat with your mouth full, how are you going to finish dinner?"

"Nevermind, sweetie," Roslin stated, succumbing to a fit of giggles herself.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, and csiAngel for reviewing :D)


	14. Come back to me

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "Maelstrom." The song "Become" is from the Goo Goo Dolls and roslin14's montage.

Chapter 14: Come back to me

The fleet had been busy acquiring fuel from a nearby planet. /It had turned out to be a tense day with Kara's possible Cylon sightings. Since no one else had seen anything, Cottle had given her a checkup and Lee's anxieties had brought him to speak to his father. The admiral had let his son decide whether Kara would stay on flight rotation or not. Roslin came aboard later and after dropping Evie off was in the middle of discussing the fuel situation with Adama when Kara ran into them./

/Adama turned and asked her, "What do you hear, Starbuck?"/

/At hearing their old banter, she grinned. "Nothing but the rain, sir."/

/"Then grab your gun and bring in the cat," he finished./

/"How is it out there?" Rosin inquired./

/"It's a great view," Kara replied./ "Ma'am, I'm sorry, for what I said before."

Roslin knew that she was referring to. "It's fine," she replied.

/As she and Adama began to leave, Adama's hand almost found its way to the small of her back when Kara stopped them again and handed him the figure of Aurora that the oracle had given her./

/Later in CIC Lee and Kara were flying for fuel again when the supposed Cylon raider appeared again. She went after it, though Lee tried to convince her otherwise. Adama listened as his son burst into hysterics at seeing Kara's ship explode, knowing that they could not even try to find a body./

Adama met his son on the deck to confirm what had happened. He was too numb at that point to grieve as he made the long walk to his quarters. Knowing that he had a memorial service to plan, he decided to make a phone call, remembering that Roslin had said something about a meeting.

Roslin was discussing a few civilian issues with the Quorum when Tory approached her, informing her of a phone call from the admiral. "Excuse me," she told them as she rose. She put the phone to her ear. "Admiral, I'm in the middle of a meeting. What's this about?"

"Laura," he began. She thought that his voice sounded hollow. "There's… there's been an accident.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Kara's gone," he told her flatly.

"What do you mean 'gone?' Is she missing again?" the president inquired.

"No," was all he said.

Realization occurred to her and she gasped. "She's dead?"

"Yes," he answered. "I have to plan a service."

"I'm on my way," she told him before hanging up.

Tory had heard most of Roslin's end as the other woman headed for the door. "Ma'am, you can't just leave a meeting like this."

"Tell them that we will continue all of this in the morning. I have a personal emergency to tend to," with that she left before the aide could say anything more.

Roslin knocked on Adama's as he was leaving. "Bill, I'm so sorry," she told him, knowing in her stomach how empty 'sorry' sounded.

He faced her and she reached for his arm. The silent acknowledgment that she was coming with him was sufficient for the moment to keep him on his feet. "I hardly know what to say. When it was for Kat, I knew what to do," he admitted.

"Would it be out of place if I said a few words?" she offered.

A half-smile crept onto his face. "I think she would've appreciated something from you. Lee's probably going to speak too."

They entered the deck and she let him go as he stepped up to the stage in front of the pilots. The murmur of talking immediately stopped when they noticed him. Removing his glasses, he addressed them. "Today we remember Captain Kara Starbuck Thrace. She was one of the best pilots I've ever had the pleasure of serving with, despite her knack for finding her way to the brig," he paused as some laughed. He continued with his eulogy of her tenacity and how she beat the adversity she faced.

_There's so much more about you that you never let them see_

Lee spoke after him, unable to prevent the tears from falling. Even Roslin, when she prepared to speak, wiped her eyes a few times. "Captain Thrace was an unforgettable person, and a tribute to humanity's strength, as well as humanity's perseverance. She was as proud as she was loyal, and we will all miss her."

At the end of the service, Roslin caught up with Adama again. "What happens now?"

_You turn away_

He sighed heavily, watching the pilots trickle out of the room. "Now I assess the fueling situation and anything else vital to our survival that can't wait 'till morning."

She hesitated to leave him, but knew that he needed his space at the moment. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered, acutely aware of her own pile of work waiting for her.

"It's alright, Laura. I'll call you later," he commented as he squeezed her hand and left. She knew in her heart that everything was far from 'alright,' but she let him go.

_But not to me_

Roslin paced her office, still waiting for Adama's call after giving Evie dinner. Her daughter looked up from the picture book on farm animals and followed her mother. "Mommy, why didn't we eat dinner with Bill?"

The older woman stopped pacing and the two sat on the couch. "Sweetie, a friend of Bill's died today and he's upset. He said he would call me later."

_And I know how they tried to take you_

"Dying means they don't come back, right?" Evie inquired.

"Right. I just wish he'd call," Roslin remarked.

Evie's eyes widened and she faced her mother. "Can we cheer him up? We could bring him dinner, or a book, or a picture!"

Roslin smiled warmly. "You're very thoughtful, sweetie, but I don't think he's up for visitors. The woman who died was like a family member to him."

"Then you go. Mommy, you said he's upset. Go see him," the girl insisted.

_Held you up and meant to break you down_

Her mother marveled at the insight into people that the girl had. She pulled her daughter into a hug. "You're right, sweetie. He needs me, so I'll go see him."

_But you can't be_

Roslin tucked Evie for the night on the couch before she left Tory in charge and took a Raptor over to _Galactica_. She reached the admiral's quarters to find a marine outside the door. "Excuse me, but I need to see the admiral," she requested.

"Sorry ma'am, but he doesn't want to be disturbed," the marine stated.

She folded her hands for a moment and glanced down at her shoes while formulating a plan. "I will deal with his wrath. Now let me through." Remembering her policy for Cylons and other insurgents, he stepped aside.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked. "I said I didn't want to be disturbed," a voice on the other side of the door growled.

"Then you should have called me back, Bill," she responded.

A moment later she heard the wheels turn as the hatch opened. A haggard man looked out at her, eyes almost bloodshot from grief, and maybe alcohol. "Might as well come in," he grumbled.

She stepped in and closed the door behind her. Then her eyes took in the scene. In a pile next to the table was the model ship he had been working on. In its place was a bottle of something clear that she assessed to be moonshine of sorts. What she did not see was a glass. He seated himself on the couch and took a swig from the bottle, two thirds full now. As she walked over to join him, something crunched beneath her foot. The question of the drinking glass was soon answered as she noticed a few stray pieces. She carefully picked them up and added them to the pile of the ship.

"Evie's going to be mad at you for the hurricane you've inflicted on that poor ship," Roslin commented, sitting down next to him.

His mouth curled into a smirk. "Wish I'd remembered that half an hour ago."

She rested a hand on his knee. "Why didn't you call me?"

_For so long I tried to reach you_

"I thought about it, but every time I picked up the phone, I'd talk myself out of it. I was going to handle it myself. Drink?" he handed her the bottle.

"Might as well," she responded. The clear liquid burned as it went down, causing her to sputter for a moment. She glared at him when she saw the amused grin on his face. "How can you drink that stuff? It's worse than whatever they had in the mess hall the time I was drunk."

"Private stash of Picon ethanol," he replied.

"On second thought, I'd rather not know any more," she stated. He shrugged and put the bottle back on the table. Watching him, she was determined to find a way to reach him. She decided that the straightforward approach was best. "Bill, about Starbuck, I'm so sorry."

_I know I'm almost there_

Her words had their desired affect as he spoke, not facing her. "It shouldn't have been like this."

"Try as we might, there are some things that are out of our control," she attempted to reassure him.

"I should've paid more attention. Lee was worried about her, but I left it up to him to let her keep flying. I should've listened to my gut and pulled her out of the flight rotation. If I had, she'd still be alive. She was a fighter, and she deserved to go down fighting. Instead she was chasing some phantom ship," he expressed bitterly.

_I'm close enough for you to see_

"Bill," Roslin said softly, "you can't blame yourself for this."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and faced the wall again. "I want to blame something, but all I can come up with is me. She shouldn't have died. When I lost Zack, it was the most painful experience of my life up to that point, but I met Kara and gained a daughter. Now she's gone too and I feel like everything's slipping away," his voice was cracking by the end of his comment and tears had reappeared on his face.

Roslin rested a hand on his chest to get his attention. He faced her with a raised eyebrow as she spoke. "Then you need to open your eyes and look around more. Saul is still here. You have Lee, and you have Dee. And I-"

She faltered as their eyes met. "What made you come by tonight?" he probed.

"Evie. She asked me why we weren't visiting you. I explained briefly that you had lost someone important to you. Then she reminded me that instead of waiting for you to call, I should be here with you," Roslin answered.

_You've been hiding in the shadows_

He gave her a small genuine smile and cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking it with his thumb. "I've been foolish tonight. I lost Kara, but I have you and Evie. I'm sorry I wasn't paying more attention."

_Have you forgotten how we used to dream_

They kissed gently. "I understand. It's not fair when the young die and leave us behind. It's not the natural order of things," she told him.

"I guess that's just something we all have to live with," he stated bleakly as they parted and she stood.

Reaching a hand out, she helped him to his feet and he looked at her quizzically. "Come with me," she persuaded.

_Let me remind you_

He stood on his own. "Why?" he asked simply.

"Admiral, you need to get out of here for a while. Now grab whatever it is that you sleep in and come with me," she ordered, sounding presidential.

She kept expecting him to say something as he watched her for a while. But something inside him was too worn out to argue much and he disappeared into his bedroom for a moment, emerging with a night bag.

"You gonna tell me where we're going?" he questioned.

_The light doesn't blind you at all_

"Back to my place," she told him with a smirk.

_It just helps you see_

She walked ahead of him and he followed her quietly down the silent corridors. No one was out or around at the hour and when they reached the hanger there were not even any pilots out. It was almost eerily quiet and Roslin found it understandable, but disconcerting.

_Can you see_

Wordlessly they flew back to Colonial One and docked. Tory greeted them as they entered, concerned. "Madame President, why is the Admiral here?"

Roslin sighed and glanced back at him. "He lost Captain Thrace today."

"But Ma'am he can't just stay here. What about the gossip?" Tory inquired.

"Put it down as a meeting for fleet morale," she responded. "How's Evie?"

"She's asleep," the aide answered.

"Thank you. Goodnight Tory," Roslin added.

"Madame President, Admiral," Tory stated before leaving. "Press'll have a field day with this one," the president heard her mutter.

Roslin ushered Adama back to her sleeping area and then almost shoved him into her bathroom. "Go change," she ordered.

As he closed the door she was unsure as to which bothered her more; his silence, or his compliance. _Come on, Bill. You need to pull yourself together again_, she thought to herself.

While he changed into the sweats he had brought in the bathroom, she quickly changed into her blue nightgown. She was pulling back the covers and adjusting the pillows when he emerged. "Laura, what's this about?"

_Yeah you have become_

She turned toward him and touched his forearm. "You are spending the night. On _Galactica_ you were probably going to drink yourself into a stupor and crash on the couch. At least here, away from the military pull and the constant reminder of your pilots, you might actually get some sleep."

_Yeah you have become beautiful_

"But I can't just-"

She cut him off, walking over to the bed. And then she pointed at it. "Get in."

_And I can't be the stranger_

Even in her silky blue nightgown, which he had just at that moment realized she was wearing, she looked very presidential. "This is not a good idea," he tried to tell her.

_That's been sleeping in your bed_

"Get in," she repeated.

Seeing that arguing was getting him absolutely no where, he sighed resolutely and did as she had instructed, lying on his side. She crawled in behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "Now go to sleep," she suggested.

_Turn around and come to me_

The sheer absurdity of the situation struck him and he began laughing. After seeing him break down emotionally, she was worried as he sat up, still laughing. "What's so funny? Are you alright, Bill?"

_I feel all the pain inside_

He put a hand up and took a deep breath to compose himself. "I'm sitting here in bed with you and I suddenly realized how crazy this idea of yours is. Why don't I just take the couch?"

She shook her head. "Evie's on the couch, remember? Anyway, I wanted you to know that you're not alone."

_And everything you been denied you feel_

He studied her for a while and then laid back down and she resumed her earlier position with her arms wrapped around his chest. "I could even sleep on the floor if I just-"

She cut him off again. "No."

"But what if-"

"Ah- no. Go. to. sleep," she ordered.

"Yes, Madame President," he muttered with a smirk.

_It's all you feel_

He finally drifted off to the steady sound of her breathing. In the morning he was aware that he was not in his quarters, but what woke him up were small footsteps on the carpet. He sat up quickly and nudged Roslin. "Laura, Laura wake up. I think Evie's looking for you."

_You've been hiding in the shadows_

"Tell her I want five more minutes," Roslin mumbled into his shoulder.

"Don't you think she'll find it odd of I tell her, sitting here in your bed?" he questioned.

_Have you forgotten how we used to dream_

Roslin sat up quickly and grabbed her glasses. "Right, right."

_Let me remind you_

Evie entered the room before he could leave though. "Mommy, I had a bad dream again."

The older woman pulled the girl onto her lap, glancing at the clock momentarily to see that it was 0530. "It's okay, sweetie. Everything's fine."

_The light doesn't blind you at all_

"But Mommy, the shiny people came in five big ships! Mommy, I'm scared," the girl explained.

_It helps you see_

Roslin pulled her closer in an effort to soothe her. "Shh, shh, nobody's after us today," she promised, mentally praying to the deities that she was right for once.

It was then that Evie noticed Adama in his sweats behind Roslin. "Hi Bill!" she said brightly.

_Can you see_

"Hello Evie," he stated, one hand behind his neck. Roslin smirked, knowing that he was trying hard not to look as sheepish as he felt at being caught in a compromising place.

Evie being herself was oblivious to such things and only smiled at him. "I'm glad you're here. If you stay, you can save us from the shiny people."

_Yeah you have become_

His embarrassment faded away and he smiled back at her as if she was his own daughter. He scooted over by the edge of the bed and took one of her tiny hands in his. "I promise you that I will do my very best to keep you and your mother safe. Nobody's going to hurt you," he conveyed.

_Yeah you have become beautiful_

"Okay," Evie said with a smile.

Roslin glanced back at Adama before facing Evie. "Sweetie, could you give us a minute? Bill and I need to get ready for work."

The girl nodded. "I'm gonna find Tory. Maybe I can help make breakfast."

Her mother kissed her on the head and set her down. "Go ahead."

_Yeah you have become_

Adama and Roslin left the bed after Evie had exited the room. "You probably don't take as long as I do to start your day, so why don't you take the first shower?" Roslin offered.

"Thank you, but this is your ship and I don't want you to be late for any meetings," he mentioned, trying to be a gentleman.

_Yeah you have become beautiful_

She smirked and shook her head at his chivalry. "Bill, it's 0600 and you're going to have people at your door in the next hour. I don't think Saul would appreciate you going MIA, only to be found in the president's shower."

He chuckled. "You're right. In that case, I'll be out in a few minutes."

While he showered, she dressed quickly and headed out to see how breakfast was progressing. Tory had figured out how to make cereal from the algae. Evie handed a bowl to Roslin as the president sat down at her desk. Tory stepped over to her. "Ma'am, where's the admiral?"

"He's taking a shower. Would you see that he has breakfast before he leaves? I'll be switching places with him as soon as he comes out," Roslin mentioned rationally.

_Brush back your hair and look around you_

Tory's brow furrowed. "Madame President, how are you going to cover his leaving?"

_Feeling like the truth has found you here_

Her aide's acute fear of scandal amused her from time to time. She smiled serenely before replying, "As long as he leaves before seven, most people who would gossip won't be up and about yet."

_You're here with me_

She left no room for argument and Tory handed the admiral a bowl of cereal before he left. The morning went by without a hitch or a nosy reporter passing by. Roslin was on her lunch break when her phone rang. "Roslin."

_Let love become the mirror_

"It's Bill and this is a secure line. Laura, I wanted to thank you for last night. You and Evie helped me get my head on straight," he remarked.

_With no fear where you're from_

She smiled on her end. "Glad we could help."

"One more thing: I'm going to rebuild the model, but I'm thinking about asking Evie to help me," he suggested.

_You have become beautiful_

"I think she'd like that," Roslin answered.

(My thanks to anastasia1583, csiAngel, miss mcGonagle, and hadizha for reviewing :D)


	15. All in a day's work

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "The Son Also Rises." "Hey Julie" is by Fountains of Wayne, from nikka88's montage.

Chapter 15: All in a day's work

It had been two weeks since Kara's death. Roslin had brought Evie over and was attempting to make pancakes while her daughter and Adama worked on his new model ship. "How does something heavy float in the water?" Evie asked him.

He glued a few of the bottom boards together to finish the hull. "The shape of the boat allows it to float. If it was narrow and shaped like a pencil, a boat would sink straight to the bottom."

Evie handed him a few more pieces of wood, then she remembered him calling _Galactica_ 'the boat' from time to time. "Then why is a battlestar called a boat if it doesn't go in water?" she questioned.

He chuckled, noticing Roslin as she brought in breakfast. "I'm afraid the answer to that would take a while, and it's time for breakfast."

The three of them began eating quietly. Roslin glanced at the model. "Looks like you two are doing a good job."

"It's a work in progress," he commented with a grin as he took another bite of his pancake. "Good pancakes, by the way."

Roslin smiled back. "Thank you. So my cooking isn't as bad as you thought?" she teased.

"Mommy, you're a good cook. Bill didn't even notice the pancakes in his whiskers.," Evie commented, giggling. Roslin smirked and Adama reached for his napkin. She took Evie to the day care center after breakfast.

_Working all day for a mean little man  
With a clip-on tie and a rub-on tan_

When Roslin came back, she found Adama thumbing through a folder. She looked over his shoulder to see a picture of Kara, with a moustache and glasses drawn on it, along with a message that read/"_Can you see a resemblance_?"/

/"Yeah, I can," Adama said aloud./

He jumped slightly when Roslin put her hand on his shoulder. "How are you?" she asked.

_He's got me running 'round the office like a dog around a track  
But when I get home,  
You're always there to rub my back_

Placing a hand on top of hers, he squeezed it. "I could be better. I miss her, Laura."

_Hey Julie,_

She bent down and kissed his temple. "Is there anything I can get you?"

_Look what they're doing to me_

"How about a day where nothing exciting happens?" he inquired with a smirk.

_Trying to trip me up  
Trying to wear me down_

Glancing over her shoulder, she peered at the clock before turning back to him. "The best I can do is lunch."

He stood and walked her to the door, knowing that she had other things to do. "I'd like that." They kissed affectionately before she walked out into the corridor.

_Julie, I swear, it's so hard to bear it_

/During the course of the day, the lottery for the judges commenced. Roslin was surprised when Tory showed her a name she had not expected. Adama had been too busy to hear the wireless and when he reached CIC, Tigh told him, "Congratulations, your honor." He looked at his XO, confused. After a few calls it, was confirmed that Adama would be one of the five judges./

_And I'd never make it through without you around_

Later, Roslin was knee-deep in a meeting with ten of the Quorum representatives, regarding the civilians being too densely packed into living arrangements when the phone rang. Tory answered it and then walked over to her. "Madame President, the attorney representing the defense is reminding you about the meeting you scheduled with him and the admiral," the aide whispered.

"Thank you, Tory. Tell him I'll be ready in two hours," Roslin mentioned before turning back to the others.

The phone rang again an hour later. "Madame President, it's Miss Porter," Tory said quietly.

_Hours on the phone making pointless calls_

Roslin excused herself for a moment to speak on the phone. "Hello again, Miss Porter. How is Evie?"

"It's my fault. I was trying to make something new with the algae paste for the children, a quiche of sorts, but it had too many flavors for some of them. Evie threw up. She's okay, but she wants to be with you," Miss Porter relayed.

_I got a desk full of papers that means nothing at all_

Glancing back at the meeting, the president sighed, trying to formulate a plan. Then she lifted the phone back to her hear. "I'm currently stuck at a meeting, but I'll send someone over for her," Roslin stated before hanging up.

"Madame President, I could-" Tory began to volunteer.

"Since the admiral will be here anyway for the meeting with the attorney, I'll ask him to pick up Evie too," Roslin explained.

_Sometimes I catch myself staring into space_

"Are you certain that's a good idea, especially with the rumors that have been circulating?" Tory commented.

"If I ask him, then we're saving the fleet's fuel," she countered.

_Counting down the hours 'til I get to see your face_

Adama reached the day care center and looked for Evie. "Hello again, Admiral," Miss Porter greeted him. "What brings you by?"

"The president asked me to pick up her niece," he explained briefly.

_Hey Julie,_

At hearing his voice, Evie darted out from the block castle she and her little friends had been making. "Bill!" she exclaimed with a grin as she ran toward him.

_Look what they're doing to me_

She hugged him and he scooped her up in his arms, figuring that carrying her would make the trip to the Raptor quicker. "Hey you. How was your day?"

_Trying to trip me up  
Trying to wear me down_

"We learned about animals that sleep in the day time and come out at night. And the teacher showed us a picture book. And there's a funny animal with a mask," she told him in one breath.

He smiled back at her. "Sounds like you had fun."

As he turned to leave, Miss Porter walked over to him. "So you're 'Bill?'"

"To a small number of people, yes," he responded cordially.

"She talks about you all the time. You read her our cultural stories and she tells the other children when she comes," the teacher remarked.

"It's important to pass along things like that," he stated as he and Evie left.

_Julie, I swear, it's so hard to bear it_

He did not notice Miss Porter's curiosity as she watched them go, nor did he hear her comment quietly, "I wonder if those stories in the paper have some validity after all."

_And I'd never make it through with out you around_

When they reached _Colonial One_, Roslin had finished her meeting. Adama entered with Evie and the two sat down. Roslin stood and walked over to them. "Thanks for picking her up, Bill."

"No problem. Is the meeting finally over?" he inquired.

"Yes. How about lunch before that attorney arrives?" she offered.

Evie looked up at her. "Mommy, I'm not hungry right now."

Roslin took the girl in her arms. "I wondered about that. How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"My tummy doesn't feel good," she replied frankly.

"I found some crackers. Do you think you want to eat one of those in a while?" Roslin suggested.

The girl seemed to ponder her option for a moment. "Okay, Mommy."

Roslin kissed Evie's forehead. "Would you like a nap?" Her daughter nodded Tory took the girl to take a nap in Roslin's bed. The aide returned to her own work while the president and the admiral ate their algae sandwiches.

_No, I'd never make it through with out you around_

"Why was she not feeling well?" Adama inquired.

"Her teacher gave the kids some sort of snacks that were spicier than she realized. Apparently Evie got sick from them, along with some of the other children," Roslin explained.

He nodded and took a bite from his sandwich. "She seemed to have forgotten about that when I picked her up. She was telling me about the nocturnal animals they learned about."

"Children will do that sometimes, forget about something unpleasant when something better distracts them. I just hope she's alright," Roslin commented, glancing toward the bedroom.

_How did it come to be_

After she and Adama had finished their meal, Roslin grabbed the crackers and went into the bedroom to check on Evie. She found the girl sitting up, playing with her bear. "Hi, Mommy."

"Hello sweetie. Are you feeling better?" Roslin asked, sitting next to her daughter.

Evie nodded. "Mommy, can I go color?"

"Yes. But first, I want you to eat some crackers," Roslin stated, handing the girl a few.

_That you and I must be_

"These… taste good," Evie mumbled between bites. Roslin went back to find the girl's crayons and paper before returning to the admiral to wait for the attorney.

"I take it she's better?" Adama inquired. The president nodded.

_Far away from each other every day?_

Shortly, the attorney arrived, dark blue suit and sunglasses. She invited him to take a seat as she was at her desk while the admiral would be to his left. / "Well, it's so comforting to know that you're not afraid. You're not afraid to represent the most hated man alive. The question is, why?" Roslin asked/.

_Why must I spend my time_

/His voice was scratchy and accented. "For the fame, the glory."/

/Roslin smirked and Adama glanced at the folder in front of him again before facing Romo Lampkin. "You worked for the public litigation office on Caprica. You think you have the qualifications to handle a case of this magnitude?" the admiral evaluated./

_Filling up my mind_

/Roslin slid her glasses off and set them on her desk, watching the puzzling man in front of her as he spoke again. "I was born for this. That, and the fact that I have a pulse," Lampkin answered/.

/Suddenly a cat jumped up on the table and startled her. Lampkin reached for his bag and picked the cat up to move it. "Lance belonged to my wife. Don't worry, he doesn't scratch or bite like she did. If it's any comfort, I despise him as much as you do," he paused and the others figured that he had meant Baltar and not the cat./

_With facts and figures that never add up anyway?_

Evie, wanting to know what was going on, left the bedroom in time to see the cat. "Kitty!" she exclaimed, causing everyone's head to turn in her direction. She walked over to the desk and looked at Roslin. "It's a real kitty! Can I pet her?"

"May I," Roslin corrected, gesturing toward Lampkin.

Evie understood the hint and looked at the attorney. "May I pet the kitty?"

"Sure, and it's a him," he replied. As Evie carefully ran a hand over the fluffy white cat's head, Lampkin studied her, looking also at Roslin and Adama.

The president hit the intercom button and asked for Tory. The aide noticed the problem as soon as she walked into the room. "I'll get her. Come on. I found you a picture book," Tory told Evie, taking her by the hand.

_They never add up anyway_

Lampkin smirked and sat back in his chair with his fingertips touching. "Whomever she is, she looks remarkably like you, Madame President."

"I believe your concern was Baltar," Adama mentioned.

Roslin leaned forward on the desk and folded her hands. "The girl is my niece. Her mother, my sister, gave her up when she was born and I found her during our stay on New Caprica."

Lampkin decided to let the matter rest and went back to the details of the court proceedings. /"So, there it is. Shall we get started?"/

After he had left, Adama stood while Roslin stared down at her hands. "I really wish he hadn't seen Evie. I just have a feeling that this is going to come back to bite us," she commented.

Adama walked over to the desk and took her hands in his. "We'll all have to be careful then."

She nodded and stood. "I should let you go back to _Galactica_. Saul's going to think I've kidnapped you."

He grinned and raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And if you kidnapped me, what would you do with me?"

Watching him incredulously, she laughed and shook her head. "And to think, you're the one telling me we've got to watch out for scandal."

"Of course. Scandal would be very detrimental at this point," he stated before sliding his hand under her chin and kissing her tenderly. "See you later, Laura."

"You too Bill." Then she glanced at his uniform top. "I think you're missing a button."

He looked down and sighed. "The last thing I need to worry about should be uniform upkeep. I might have one of those travel sewing kits with some extra buttons in a drawer." They hugged and he left for _Galactica_.

It was late in the evening before she heard from him again. /They had listened to Lampkin talk with the blonde Cylon and had the uncomfortable feeling that the rug had been pulled out from under them./ Roslin rubbed her eyes and reached for her desk lamp to turn it off when the phone rang. She picked it up. "Madame President, I know it's late, but I'd like to brief you on some situations regarding the attorney."

_Working all day for a mean little guy  
With a bad toupee and a soup-stained tie_

There was something in his voice, something that sounded slightly depressed. "Certainly, Admiral," she replied.

Tory was stunned when he showed up, asking to see the president. "Sir, with all due respect, do you have any idea, or any regard for that matter of how late it is?"

Roslin entered the area, saving him from an explanation. "The admiral just wants to brief me on a few matters that can't be discussed over the phone."

The aide sighed and Roslin led Adama back to her make-shift office. She perched herself on the edge of her desk and waited for him to speak as he stood. "Sit, Bill. What's going on?"

_Like a gerbil on a wheel  
He can tell me what to do  
But he can't tell me what to feel_

He sighed heavily and then looked up at her. "Been a long day. Someone set a bomb under a shuttle that Lee and Lampkin were going to take. Fortunately it was found quickly. Lampkin's been injured anyway though. Someone bombed his quarters. A marine standing guard in front of the door was killed."

She processed what he had told her and joined him in the adjacent chair. "He's picked a dangerous assignment. Is he still planning on defending Baltar then, or are we back to square one?"

"Surprisingly, we still have a defense attorney," Adama replied. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out her glasses.

Her eyes widened. "Bill, where did you-"

"Apparently Lampkin likes to borrow objects to study people. Took my loose button too," Adama explained.

_Hey Julie,_

Roslin nodded and studied him for a moment. "Bill, what else is bothering you?"

"Lee's joined the defense team to help," he admitted.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "What is he thinking? After everything that's happened, he wants to help the traitor?"

_Look what they're doing to me_

"I said pretty much the same thing. This trial's looking a lot uglier than we bargained for," he responded.

"Especially with what that attorney said to the blonde Cylon. I'm not giving up yet though," Roslin added.

"And then there's the fact that I ended up a judge in this mess," the admiral relayed.

"It really was a lottery," she reassure him.

Adama craned his neck and tried to rub out the kinks. "I'm just tired of bumps and potholes in this road we've decided to take."

_Trying to trip me up  
Trying to wear me down_

She rose, walking over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Perhaps I can help," she began. The motion helped a little, but it was not quite what she had in mind. "You know, the wool is in the way."

He understood and unbuttoned his jacket, setting it in the arm of the other chair. With better contact, she was able to ease more of his tension. "Is that better?" she asked.

"Yeah, thank you. I suppose-" he was interrupted by Tory as she dropped a file by the doorway.

"Alright you two, I don't want to know what's going on. I was just dropping off a few notes for tomorrow's meetings," she mentioned, leaving the folder on Roslin's desk and sauntering out of the room.

_Julie, I swear, it's so hard to bear it_

Adama stood and reached for his jacket. "I think it's time that I went back to my own ship."

She gently grasped his arm. "Wait."

He turned and raised an eyebrow. "Laura?"

_And I'd never make it through with out you around_

Reaching up, she touched his face, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "Stay. Get a good night's sleep."

Holding the hand that touched his face, he pressed a kiss to her wrist and then let go. "I can't impose on you like that again. Besides, I think Tory would have a heart attack."

_And I'd never make it through with out you around_

Nodding, Roslin smirked. "You're probably right. If you need anything, call. Okay?"

He leaned down and kissed her soundly. "Okay. Goodnight, Laura."

She kissed him back warmly and as he left, she told him "Goodnight, Bill."

_And I'd never make it through with out you around_

(My thanks to caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, TV1524, max72,Mariel3, and csiAngel for reviewing :D)


	16. Broken

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "Crossroads, Part 1." "Hallelujah – It's Over," is by Jeff Buckley. Spoilers are usually /in slash marks/ _but the dream sequence is also in italics_.

Chapter 16: Broken

_/Roslin was in opera house on Kobol, bright lights shining. She heard a child that registered in her mind as Hera. She had to protect Hera. Seeing the child round the corner, she followed her. Athena also appeared in the dream, seemingly with the same purpose. Then the blonde Cylon was there as well./ Why was everyone trying to protect Hera? Suddenly Roslin felt pulled in another direction. She looked to her right and Evie stood watching her with curiosity._

"_Mommy, what is this?" Evie asked, her voice sounding far away in the dreamy haze._

_Her mother ran toward her and scooped the girl up in her arms, having the intuition to start running in the other direction. The blonde Cylon appeared in front of them, looking from Evie to Hera as Athena held her daughter. "They are the future."_

Roslin gasped and sat up in her bed, frantically looking around the room. Shortly Evie entered the room. "Mommy, I had a scary dream," she mentioned.

"Me too, sweetie," she remarked, holding the girl on her lap. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"I was in a bright place with lots of hallways. And you were there. And you picked me up, but then a blonde lady stood in front of you and the shiny men were behind you," she answered.

Not only had they shared the same dream, but Evie had seen more than Roslin had. "That was my dream too," Roslin stated.

"Mommy, who's Hera? Why is she in trouble?" Evie inquired.

"I'm not quite sure," Roslin answered. Mother and daughter went back to sleep, Roslin holding Evie in case any more dreams occurred.

In the morning, Roslin left Evie in day care and headed to CIC, planning also to have a chat with Cottle. She found everyone still searching for the Ionian nebula. /"Still no sign of the Cylons,"/ Adama told her over his shoulder. "We've got a Raptor keeping an eye out for them."

"That's good," she remarked quietly.

Adama turned and studied her for a moment. "Are you alright? You look tired," he told her quietly.

"It's nothing. I just need to talk to Cottle about a few things," she whispered.

He nodded. "You'll tell me if anything serious comes up?"

"Of course," she relayed.

Later that morning, Roslin sat in Life Station, glancing at the clock as the time for the trial approached. "I know this isn't a social call, so I'll cut to the chase: chamalla's giving you problems, isn't it?" Cottle assessed.

She nodded. "I'm starting to have the dreams again. That's not what bothers me most though. Evie, who has never been on anything, is having the same dream. I have a feeling that Athena, Hera, and the blonde Cylon are too."

Cottle puffed on his cigarette. "I'm afraid that it's out of my jurisdiction at that point. I will tell you this though. Make sure you decrease your intake of chamalla. It'll reduce the chance of hallucinations. As for the girl, could be something left over from the Cylons, maybe an implant I didn't catch. Bring her in and I'll have a look at her."

"Alright, and thanks Jack. I-" she stopped and glanced over at the clock, "frak, I'm going to be late!" she commented, dashing toward where the trial was being held.

/The trial began with the prosecutor, a strawberry blonde woman. "How do we measure loss? We measure it in the faces of the dead. We measure it in our own faces in the ones we see in the mirror every day. We measure it in numbers. We had to turn it around, we had to count the living." A board showed 38,838 survivors, leaving 5197 unaccounted for./

When Lampkin gave his opening statement, he had a dramatic plan. /Lampkin suggested changing the plea to guilty, exaggerating the details and asking for a real trial. "What choice do I have?" Then he launched in to the prosecution's possible motives such as "getting some righteous payback." Roslin walked in late and Lampkin seized the opportunity to point her out. "Especially her. Gaius Baltar saved us on New Caprica, when Laura Roslin would have seen us all dead."/ Roslin put on the politician's façade, not allowing Lampkin to know how much his comment had angered her.

A break in the trial found Roslin and Adama back in CIC. /"Begin searching the fleet for tracking devices," he ordered, hearing that Racetrack had found the Cylon ships./ "Somehow they found us and it's going to end now."

Roslin put a hand on top of his. /"I think we should ask the Six. I have a feeling."/

Adama eyed her incredulously, confused at her lack of logic. /"I feeling?"/

/"It's more than a feeling, wh-just do it," Roslin said./ Adama gestured for her to head to the area behind the glass, wanting to talk to her. /Lee smelled the tea in her thermos after they had left./

/Adama took her hands in his as she faced him./ "You wanna tell me what that was all about?"

She licked her dry lips and glanced down at her shoes, organizing her explanation before she faced him. "The chamalla I've been taking for my back has some… awkward side affects. So far I didn't experience much, and since my back's been improving, I've also decreased the dosage. But I'm starting to have dreams. And last night Evie had the same dream I did. Jack wants me to bring her in to find out if the Cylons put some sort of implant in her."

"So your instincts are a bit more guided than usual?" he probed.

"Yes. I genuinely think someone should talk to the blonde Cylon," Roslin responded.

/Adama sent Tigh to question her and it ended up in a fist fight. Later, Tigh was the next witness for the trial. However, he was drunk on the stand and Lee pointed it out to the attorney. "Colonel, you dislike Gaius Baltar?" Lampkin questioned./

/Tigh launched into a tirade against Baltar, which included the terrorist bombings. "And if he'd had the guts to show up like he was supposed to… we wouldn't be having this conversation."/

/Lampkin then asked Tigh about his wife. Adama interrupted him. "Objection. I fail to see the point in pursuing this subject."/

/"Overruled," one of the other captains on the judge panel stated./

/Tigh blamed Baltar for Ellen's death. "All because Gaius fracking Baltar couldn't stand up to the Cylons."/

/Lampkin realized that Tigh had purposely skipped something. "Who killed Ellen?" the attorney probed./

/"I did," Tigh admitted./

/Roslin then found herself on the stand and answered calmly. "I was grading papers in the school house at night… they took close to two hundred people, it seems that all of our names were on a list, signed by Gaius Baltar."/

Tigh disappeared after the trial and when he was not found in CIC, Adama had a good idea where to find him. He found the colonel slumped over his table with a bottle of Ambrosia. The admiral helped the other man into bed. "How close are we to the nebula?" Tigh mumbled.

/"Out three days from the next clue on the road to Earth," Adama replied./

/"I embarrassed you," Tigh said, not looking at the other man./

Adama sighed and folded his hands. /"You're my oldest friend, and you could never embarrass me."/

After leaving his XO, the admiral's next order of business was his son. Talking about business first seemed to be the best plan. /Lee suggested a decoy with the ship containing the unique radiation signature that they had noted in CIC./

/Then Lee asked, "How's the president?"/

Adama stood and calmly glared at his son. /"We can't talk about the trial. Look what you did to Tigh. You're the last person I should confide in."/

Lee glared back. /"Are you calling me a liar?"/

/"I'm calling you a liar and a coward," his father said evenly./

/"Are you done?" Lee countered./

/"Yes," Adama responded./

/"Good. Then so I am," his son growled as he took off his rank pin. Adama blinked, anger only in his eyes. "I will not serve under a man who questions my integrity," he spat./

/"And I won't command a man who doesn't have any," the admiral growled back./

When he son had left, he sank down into his desk chair and sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes. He was not anticipating the knock at his door and stood stiffly, planning to tell whomever it was to come back tomorrow. He opened the door to find Roslin and Evie.

"Did you forget dinner?" Roslin deduced.

He stepped aside so that the two could enter and then closed the door. "I've forgotten a lot of things today."

"I'd be happy to cook then," Roslin volunteered, kissing him on the cheek.

Evie ran over and hugged him. He smiled and mussed her hair. "And what have you been up to?"

She pulled out a small hour glass shape made from lined paper, colored black with eye holes. "I'm a raccoon," she said cheerfully as she held the mask to her face with both hands.

He chuckled and watched her in her game of pretending. It could almost pass for some semblance of family life, of domesticity. He welcomed the distraction, smiling as he watched Evie pretend that his desk chair was a tree. Still keeping one eye on Evie, he headed into the kitchen to check on Roslin.

Quietly he walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. She jumped. "Deities, Bill! You scared the living daylights out of me," she scolded.

His other had played with her hair. "Some days you're just so much fun to bother."

She snorted. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder what goes on in that head of yours."

"I'm just glad you came by. And thank you for offering to make dinner," he conveyed.

She turned and looked him directly in the eyes, silent for a moment. "Bill, what's bothering you?"

"Does something have to be bothering me?" he inquired with a half-smile. Under her scrutiny though, his expression grew serious.

"You just have that look tonight. It's in your eyes. That, and your kitchen stunt reminds me of a teenager," she mentioned.

He let her go. "You and Evie showed up at the right time. It's been one hell of a day."

She turned back to her cooking, handing him a spatula and a measuring cup. As she had hoped, he stepped close to help. "Does this have anything to do with Lee?"

"When did you become a mind reader?" he goaded her, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know you," she answered with a wry smile, molding the lightly seasoned algae into small balls.

He helped her find a cooking sheet and they continued the conversation when she had put the balls in the oven. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the rank pins. "Lee resigned," was all he said.

She placed a hand on his face, understanding the magnitude of what he had said. "Oh Bill, I'm so sorry."

"I just… I don't know what to do with him. I think things'll be better between us, then something comes along to ruin it. I don't know my own son anymore," Adama admitted.

His defeated tone worried her and she kissed him soundly. When she pulled back, their eyes locked. Both saw something that they had tried too many times to put aside for duty and obligation. He kissed her passionately and she responded with a small moan as she felt the pleasurable scratch of his moustache. They broke for air and rested their foreheads together.

"When this is all over, I have a few things I want to ask you," Adama whispered against her lips.

She grinned and moved back to face him. "There's one thing I'd like to ask you now. If anything happens to me, would you be willing to look after Evie?"

He pulled her into a hug. "Of course."

The oven timer broke their mood and she returned her attention to dinner. The three of them ate their meal and the adults listened with interest as Evie told them all about raccoons. Roslin and Evie later left for _Colonial One_. In the morning, Roslin returned with Evie, heading to Life Station so that Cottle could look for implants. Fortunately, there were none to be found, but it only complicated Roslin's mystery over the dream further.

Cottle stopped her before she could leave though. "I took another blood sample, as well as a cranial scan. Take a look at this," he stated, showing her the computer screen. "This is your genetic pattern, and this his hers. There's a bigger deviation than there was the first time I examined her. Also, her mental development is different from yours. Basically, she may have started out as your clone, but now she's becoming her own person on a genetic level."

"I'm glad. I want her to have a life of her own," Roslin expressed before leaving with Evie.

Knowing that she had to head to the trial, Roslin elected to leave Evie in Tory's care that day. Though the aide had been erratic as of late, the president thought that her aide could be entrusted with the simple task of looking after her daughter for a few hours.

Halfway through the day's proceedings, Roslin found herself on the stand again, being examined by the defense. Lampkin leaned over the desk, facing Baltar and Lee. "Gentlemen, I think it's time that we played another card," he whispered.

_I heard there was a secret chord_

Lee understood what he was referring to. "I don't know if we can prove that."

_That David played and it pleased the lord_

"Ask anyway," Lampkin instructed.

_But you don't really care for music, do you_

/Lee stepped in front of the witness stand. "Madame President, aren't you alive today because of Gaius Baltar?" he began./

/"Relevance?" she questioned./ Adama smirked inwardly at her tenacity.

_Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth  
_

/"The witness has an attitude," Lee challenged./

_The minor fall and the major lift_

"Just keep going," one of the other judges remarked.

_The baffled king composing hallelujah_

Lee paced a bit before continuing. /"Did Gaius Baltar save your life when you were dying of cancer?"/

_Hallelujah... hallelujah… hallelujah… hallelujah…_

/"His scientific knowledge did save my life," Roslin answered calmly./

/"While you had cancer, were you on medications?" Lee probed./

/Her expression gave nothing away. "Lots. I don't remember specific names though."/

/"Does chamalla extract sound familiar?" he interrogated./

_Well your faith was strong but you needed proof_

Inwardly she was enraged that he would bring it up in the courtroom. In some ways he knew more about her in those days than his father had. /"Hmm, yes," she replied./

_You saw her bathing on the roof_

/"Did you know that it can cause hallucinations?" he was trying to drive the nails into the coffin./

_Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you_

/She continued to be rational and level-headed. "Yes, a side effect."/

_She tied you to her kitchen chair_

/Lee hesitated and Roslin whispered, "Please don't do this."/

_She broke your throne and she cut your hair_

/Nothing would make him back down now. "Are you taking chamalla at this time?"/

_And from your lips she drew the hallelujah_

/"Captain Apollo, I am so sorry for you," she told him quietly./

_Hallelujah... hallelujah… hallelujah… hallelujah…  
_

/"Just answer the question," he stated./

/"Yes," she admitted. He began to walk away, but she was no where near finished with him. "Finish what you started."/

/"Why are you taking chamalla?"/ he asked her, realizing that he had suddenly lost his advantage.

"I'm taking chamalla to combat the pain from what the Cylons did to my spine while I was held captive. After I returned from New Caprica, I had to have reconstructive spinal surgery so that I would still be able to walk. If you'd like to see my X-rays, I'll submit them as evidence. At the moment I have metal rods and pins holding things together. Recently the pain has decreased so I do not have to take as much medication. Ask anyone who was in one of the Cylon detention facilities and if they did not have long-term physical problems afterward," she explained.

She had rendered Lee speechless. He headed back to the defense section and stated, "Mr. Lampkin, further questioning is deferred to you."

He could see Lampkin's eyes as the defense atourney stared at him over the top of his glasses. "Mr. Adama, I thought you had a backbone. You're the one who mentioned it in the first place. It's too late anyway," he stated slyly, ignoring Lee's questioning stare before turning to Roslin to question her.

"Madame President," he began, "how much value do you place on the integrity of people in leadership positions?"

Roslin calmly raised an eyebrow. "I feel that people in such roles should adhere to a higher ethical code, if that's what you are referring to."

"I hope you have a point to this," Adama grumbled at Lampkin.

"I assure you, Admiral, I do," the other man replied with a smirk. Lampkin looked down and fiddled with his cane, as if in thought. Then he turned back and Roslin realized how dangerous this man actually was. "Why did you promote Adama to 'admiral?' He could have remained 'commander' and still been in charge. Did you promote him because you had an affair with him? Or would you call it an indiscretion?" Lampkin probed.

_Baby I've been here before_

Shock washed over Roslin's face and she heard someone break a pencil, suspecting that it was Adama. She took a deep breath and glared at Lampkin as if he were a disobedient school child. "Mr. Lampkin," she began civilly, "The Admiral and I were not having an affair. I promoted him because I felt that he was the best person to lead this fleet and I did not want his position to be usurped again, as it was when Admiral Cain arrived."

_I've seen this room and I've walked this floor_

The defense attorney turned as his assigned body guard entered the room, pulling and muffling something she could not see. Lampkin hobbled over and as he reached the guard, he stopped and turned back toward Roslin. "What are you doing?" Lee whispered.

"Swinging the pendulum in our favor," Lampkin replied.

All the color drained from Lee's face. "You can't mean…" he trailed off as Lampkin addressed the president.

_I used to live alone before I knew you_

"You and the Admiral were having an affair before you ever set foot on this ship for the decommissioning ceremony! How else do you explain this?" he interrogated, reaching over to what the guard had brought, and to Roslin's horror yanking Evie to the middle of the courtroom floor.

Lee glared at Lampkin. "You can't do that!"

"/Don't answer," Adama instructed Roslin/.

"It actually worked," Baltar whispered only loud enough for Lee and Lampkin to hear him as he stared at the girl in amazement.

"What worked?" Lee questioned quietly. Baltar did not answer.

One of the other captains watched the scene with intense curiosity. "/I want to hear what she has to say," the woman remarked/.

The frightened little girl looked over at Roslin with tears streaming down her face as she exclaimed, "Mommy!"

_I've seen your flag on the marble arch_

Nearly everyone in the courtroom gasped, but Roslin did not hear them as she rushed over and scooped her daughter up into her arms. She returned to the witness stand and soothed the girl, rubbing her back and whispering to her. Then she looked over at the admiral, as if asking him to act.

_But love is not a victory march_

He glared dangerously at Lampkin. "What the hell do you think you're doing, bringing a child into this courtroom like that?" he demanded.

_It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah_

Lampkin grinned maliciously. "Why don't we ask her? By the way, striking eyes, the girl has."

_Hallelujah... hallelujah… hallelujah… hallelujah…_

Adama glanced at Roslin one more time before standing. "The judges call for a recess on this mockery of a trial that the defense insists on making it," he stated firmly.

The four other judges looked at each other with confusion, but did not argue. "Thirty minutes," one of the other judges called out.

_Well, maybe there's a God above_

Without hesitation, Adama left the judges box and walked straight over to the defense. He glared at his son and then at Lampkin. "Where is the woman who was watching the girl? You had no right to bring her into this courtroom. It was totally inappropriate!" Then he turned back to Lee. "And you, of all people, you should know better. How dare you bring that child into a courtroom like that. I know it was your idea because you knew where she was," he growled.

"Sir, I'm as shocked at this as you are. I had no idea he was planning this!" Lee protested.

"I see someone's finally tweaked your moral compass," Lampkin leered.

_But all I've ever learned from love_

"Shouldn't we just move past this petty arguing and continue with the trial?" Baltar interjected.

_Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you_

He received the full force of Adama's next glare, which was menacing enough to make him wish that he was back on the Cylon ship. "If you think you have any shred of credibility, you should shut up right now." Baltar sat down quickly.

"I believe that's called harassing my client," Lampkin stated.

"I will deal with you later," Adama grumbled. "Where is the president's aide?"

"Apparently she was here on _Galactica _with the girl and she simply got distracted with the wrong beverage. It'll be hard to prove though. Mr. Adama, where did you see her last?" Lampkin deflected the question.

Lee tried to remain calm. "She and Evie were eating in the mess hall. Sir, I had nothing to do with-"

_It's not a cry that you hear at night_

"I've got nothing to say to you," Adama relayed in the dangerous low tone of his.

_It's not somebody who's seen the light_

Then he walked over to Roslin. "Laura, I think it's best if we get Evie out of here. I'm going to find Dee."

_It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah_

Roslin nodded. "Yes, that would be better."

_Hallelujah... hallelujah… hallelujah… hallelujah…_

"Did they hurt her at all?" he questioned.

The president glanced at the girl looking for bruises. "Are you okay, sweetie?" The girl nodded and Roslin continued. "How would you like to stay with Mrs. Dee for a while?"

Adama could see the panic in the girl's eyes at the prospect of being separated from her mother again. "Evie, we'll come right back and get you after the trial. It's safer if you're with Mrs. Dee for now," he attempted to persuade her.

While still holding onto her mother, she reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm scared. I don't want him to come back."

When he stepped closer, she dislodged herself from Roslin's arms and ended up in his arms. "Who?" he asked.

"The man with the kitty and the stick," she told him, glancing over at the attorney.

"He won't ever come near you again," Adama said with such conviction that Roslin believed him as well as Evie.

Just before the half our break ended, Dee appeared and took Evie with her. "Are you going to explain the child, Madame President?" Lampkin pursued.

_Hallelujah... hallelujah… hallelujah… hallelujah…_

(My thanks to max72, miss mcGonagle, and TV1524 for reviewing :D)


	17. Refugees

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Thank You For Loving Me" is by Bon Jovi, from banana53080's montage.

Chapter 17: Refugees

Roslin knew what had to be done to vindicate both herself and Adama. "She is my clone. The Cylons accidentally gave her a different eye color when they were experimenting with her genetics. They used me for the cloning experiment because I had found their laboratory and they had captured me. Fortunately for all of us, the program was not far enough along in its development for them to recreate fully grown adults," she continued to explain what she had discovered, as well as what the Cylons had done to her spine regarding Evie's creation. "So in a very real sense, she is also my daughter."

At the end of the trial, Adama had to take care of CIC for a while and Roslin had to deal with the press. The president faced the press as bravely as ever. "By the way in which the Cylons conducted their experiment, she is my daughter and will not be making any press appearances. She is to be left alone and I promise that she is totally human. She has only been artificially aged."

"Madame President, could you explain the extent of your spinal injury and if it has affected your job?" a brown-haired woman in a checkered suit inquired. /Tory uncharacteristically began to spout off. Roslin put a hand up to stop her and told her to wait in the back./

_It's hard for me to say the things  
I want to say sometimes_

"Katie, how has your injury affected your job?" Roslin turned the question around. "I was not the only one subjected to Cylon brutality. That will be all for today," Roslin commented.

/Then she headed to where Tory was waiting. "You need to pull it together and focus on your job fast, or else I can find someone else who can handle the press as well as pull a comb through their hair once a week," she stated./

"Yes, ma'am," Tory simply responded.

_There's no one here but you and me  
And that broken old street light_

Roslin then took up another matter. "What happened when you were supposed to be watching Evie?" though her tone was calm, Tory knew that the president was irritated.

"I took her down to the mess hall for lunch. Somebody drugged my coffee. I woke up with my head on the table and she was gone," Tory admitted.

The president would have said more, but the phone rang. "Laura, how are you?"

_Lock the doors  
We'll leave the world outside_

She smiled at hearing Adama's voice. "I just finished the press conference. I'm fine, but I think I've shamed at least one of them into a respectful silence."

_All I've got to give to you  
Are these five words tonight_

He chuckled. "I wouldn't expect less. How is Evie?"

_Thank you for loving me_

The girl came out to where Roslin stood with the phone and hugged her. "She's alright. She took a nap during the press conference, but now she's wrapped herself around my legs and she's not letting me go."

_For being my eyes  
When I couldn't see_

"Why don't you take a break and both of you can have dinner with me?" he suggested.

_For parting my lips  
When I couldn't breathe_

Roslin put the phone aside for a moment. "What do you think, sweetie? Do you want to have dinner with Bill?"

"Yes, Mommy," she said with an emphatic nod.

"We'll be there, Bill," Roslin relayed before hanging up.

_Thank you for loving me_

He greeted them in the docking bay and they walked quietly to his quarters, ignoring the stares and the whispers. Roslin smiled, seeing that dinner was already cooked when they arrived. Adama had made algae patties and Evie grinned. They sat and had a comfortable quiet dinner, almost as if the day had not happened. Evie seemed much more relaxed and was content to stay in the kitchen looking through a book on boats that Adama had found.

Roslin and Adama adjourned to the living room to talk for a while. Adama watched as she slid out of her shoes and took a deep breath. Then she closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair before glancing toward the kitchen. She seemed lost in a reverie of sorts as she stood quietly.

_I never knew I had a dream  
Until that dream was you_

"How are you really?" he asked, breaking through the reverie.

"I don't know what to do," she admitted quietly as she turned from the kitchen to him. "The whole fleet knows that she's a clone and it's my fault."

_When I look into your eyes  
The sky's a different blue  
_

He looked up at her and shook his head. "No, if it's anyone's fault, it's that attorney's. As much as I'm sure Lee did some things out of his own accord, Lampkin pushed on to the rest of it."

"At the moment I'd like to airlock those two more than Baltar, no offense," she amended.

_Cross my heart  
I wear no disguise_

"None taken. Lee, for his part in it, was way out of line. If he wasn't a grown man, I'd give him a good whooping and send him to his room without dinner. Then I'd ground him. That's the trouble when they grow up; you can't just send the kids to their rooms," he remarked.

_If I tried, you'd make believe  
That you believed my lies_

Despite her irritation at with the day's events, she smirked. "I only hope Evie doesn't turn out to be rebellious."

"Everyone gets their share of family problems, but most of the time they can be resolved. This might take a while," Adama mentioned.

_Thank you for loving me_

He extended a hand and she grabbed onto it, letting him pull her into sitting on the couch. "Bill, I'm scared that I can't protect her enough," she admitted.

"We can only do our best," he relayed, reaching to touch her cheek. Her apprehension was in her eyes instead of well-hidden. "Laura, we'll get through this."

_For being my eyes  
When I couldn't see_

She took a deep breath and nodded. "I just- if it was against me, it would be different, but they used Evie. I can't let that happen again."

"Don't tell me you want to resign," he probed.

"I don't know what to do this time," she repeated. Then she stood and looked toward the kitchen. "I should be getting back to my ship."

"Wait," he began. "It might be better if the two of you stayed here tonight."

_For parting my lips  
When I couldn't breathe_

She wheeled around to face him and eyed him curiously. The sincerity in his eyes touched her heart. He wanted to protect them. Normally she would have waved it off, not wanting to feel dependent on anyone. Tonight was different though. Tonight she wanted to feel protected and cared for.

_Thank you for loving me_

"Alright," she told him with a small smile. "Evie?" she called.

Evie came running into the room and hugged Roslin. "Yes, Mommy?"

"How would you like it if we stayed her tonight?" her mother asked.

The girl smiled brightly. "With Bill?"

"Yes, sweetie," Roslin replied.

"Yay!" the girl exclaimed, dashing over to give Adama a hug too.

"I suppose the only question now is sleeping arrangements," Roslin reminded.

"You and Evie can have my bed and I'll take the couch," Adama responded.

_You pick me up when I fall down_

A while later they put Evie to bed and sat in the living room to talk more, looking over what would be said at the trial tomorrow. A knock at the door startled them. Adama walked over to open it and found Dee.

_You ring the bell before they count me out_

"I left him. May I stay here tonight?" she requested.

_If I was drowning you would part the sea  
And risk your own life to rescue me_

Roslin and Adama knew that she had meant Lee. Adama looked back at the president who shrugged. He let Dee in and closed the door. The lieutenant noticed the president and her eyes widened like saucers. "I'm sorry, Madame President, Admiral. I seem to have interrupted-"

The other woman put her hand up to save Dee from embarrassment. "It's alright, Dee. And under the circumstances, it's 'Laura.'"

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked to spend the night," Dee mumbled.

_Lock the doors  
We'll leave the world outside_

Adama cleared his throat and walked over to Roslin. "Do you think we could find a way for all of us to sleep here one night?" he knew it was an absurd request, but perhaps it was the sort of thing that they all needed.

She smiled back at him. "I think this will be one of the most peculiar sleepovers on record."

_All I've got to give to you  
Are these five words tonight_

He chuckled and turned back to his daughter-in-law. "We'll figure something out. At present you can take the couch."

"Thank you, sir," she answered.

_Thank you for loving me_

As Roslin helped Dee settle in with a few extra sheets, Adama realized regrettably that he did not have enough of anything for himself if he were to sleep on the floor. Roslin walked over behind him and made the same observation. Then she glanced back by the bed and noticed that the chair nearby was roughly the same height as the bed. "Bill," she whispered.

_For being my eyes  
When I couldn't see_

He turned to face her and raised an eyebrow. "You've got some sort of plan," he observed.

_You parted my lips  
When I couldn't breathe_

"If we use our jackets along with the pillows, you, Evie, and I can all fit in your bed, using that chair like a footstool. It probably won't be the best night's sleep, but-"

He cut her off with a gentle kiss. "I like your idea."

_Thank you for loving me_

Roslin held Evie on her right while the girl slept. Adama reclined using the pillows and the wall on her left. He put an arm around Roslin and pulled a few blankets over all of them. Strange as the sleeping arrangement was, both he and Roslin felt at peace that night as they drifted off into a light sleep.

(My thanks to caramelapples, Mariel3, max72, miss mcGonagle, and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	18. I thought it was all for me

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Spoilers are from "Crossroads, Part 2." The song, "You Know," is by 8mm, from monsie09's montage.

Chapter 18: I thought it was all for me

Adama and Roslin woke stiffly and stretched as Evie bounced out of the bed. "Morning, Mommy! Morning, Bill!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

Roslin glanced at the buzzing alarm clock. Adama reached passed her to turn off the alarm and she smiled at her daughter. "Good morning, sweetie."

Evie glanced toward the living room. "Mommy, who's on the couch?"

"Mrs. Dee is visiting," Roslin relayed.

"Can I go wake her up?" the girl requested.

"'May I,'" Roslin corrected. "I suppose."

Adama chuckled as he left the bed and headed toward the bathroom. "She's in for one of the better wakeup calls around here," he relayed with a fond smile.

"I quite agree," Roslin remarked, drawing the blankets up around herself for a moment. /Adama was shaving as the lights flickered. He grunted as he nicked himself, pausing to dab the cut with a towel./

/"Yell at me, I don't wanna get out of bed," she commented/.

/"Well you asked the wrong person. I was just thinking of going back to bed," he mentioned with a wry grin/.

She frowned at him. /"You feeling okay?"/

/"Yeah, I'm alright. How are you doing?" he evaded her question/.

Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. /"I don't wanna face him. I don't wanna face any of them. I just want to stay in bed all day."/

He wiped the remaining shaving cream from his face. /"If you still need to be yelled at, I think I can give you some volume."/

/"Good. Alright, give it your best shot," she told him with a smirk/.

/"Get out of that bed!" he shouted/.

She crossed her arms and her brow furrowed. /"That's not your best shot."/

He shook his head and tried again. /"Get your fat lazy ass out of that bed, Roslin."/

/She laughed. "Yes sir, okay sir, anything you say sir. Thank you,"/ she replied, standing and neatly setting the blankets aside.

/"Don't let them see you sweat, Laura," he conveyed./

He had only stepped out of the bathroom for a moment when Dee rushed in and shut the door. Then he and Roslin exchanged curious glances as they heard Dee losing the contents of her stomach. She opened the door a moment later. "Sorry about that, sir. May I use your mouthwash?" she inquired, showing that she had actually brought her own cup with her.

He nodded and left the room to make coffee. When Dee emerged from the bathroom, Roslin walked over to her. "Are you alright?"

Dee looked away, embarrassed. "I think I might be pregnant," she said quietly.

"You might want to ask the admiral for a day off so you can go to Life Station and confirm it," Roslin recommended. Dee nodded and Roslin stepped into the bathroom to take a shower, calling Tory to ask about bringing over an extra suit afterward.

While the president was in the shower, Dee walked over to Adama. He offered her coffee, but she shook her head and he looked at her with worry. "I hope you're not coming down with that Sagittarian flu again," he stated.

She shook her head. "Sir, I don't think it's the flu. I need to go to Life Station and find out though."

"You think it's something else?" he probed.

He did not miss the nervousness in her eyes when she faced him. "I think I might be pregnant, sir. The night after Starbuck… Lee and I were together."

"Take the day off, go see Cottle. When you're done there, I need you back here to watch Evie so that what happened in court yesterday isn't repeated. Do you feel up to it?" he inquired.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Roslin left earlier while Adama stayed with Evie until Dee returned. She found him reading to her as she walked into his quarters. He glanced up and raised an eyebrow. "How'd it go?" he asked.

"You're gonna be a grandfather," she told him with a small smile. He gave her a hug and headed off to CIC after also hugging Evie and telling her goodbye.

_You know it has to end like this  
You know that it's the only way_

/During that day's portion of the trial, Lampkin used a tactic no one was expecting: he accused the admiral of being a bias judge and put Lee on the stand to testify to it. "Why do you believe that Gaius Baltar deserves to be acquitted" Lampkin probed./

_You know it has to end like this  
You know it, babe ..._

/Lee began, nervous and stammering. "It was an impossible situation when the Cylons arrived. What could he possibly do?" He paused and looked around the room. What could anyone have done? I mean ask yourself, what would you have done? So did he appear to cooperate with the Cylons? Sure. So did hundreds of others. What's the difference between him and them? Colonel Tigh, Colonel Tigh used suicide bombers, killed dozens of people, forgiven. Lieutenant Agathon and Chief Tyrol, they murdered an officer on the _Pegasus_, forgiven."/

_You know it has to end like this  
You know that it's the only way_

/Then Lee looked at his father. "The Admiral, the admiral instituted a military coup de etat against the president, forgiven," Roslin stared at him incredulously. He seemed unphased and continued. "I shot down a civilian passenger ship, the _Olympic Carrier_, over a thousand people on board, forgiven."/

_Bite my lip and with the slip of your tongue  
Now look how it's come undone_

/He continued his speech with more gusto. "I raised my weapon to a superior officer, committed an act of mutiny, forgiven. And on the very day when Baltar surrendered to go with Cylons, I as commander of the _Pegasus_ jumped away, and left everybody alone, on that planet, undefended for months! I even tried to persuade the admiral never to return, to abandon you all there for good. If I'd had my way, nobody would have made it off that planet. We make your own laws now, our own justice. And we've been pretty creative, at finding ways to let people off the hook for everything from theft to murder."/

_You know, you know  
I thought it was all for me_

/Lee looked back at the defense section, bringing the argument back to the confines of the trial. "But no, you," he pointed at Baltar, "you have to die. You have to die because we don't like you very much. Because you're arrogant, because you're weak, because you're a coward. And we, the mob, want to through you out the airlock because you didn't stand up to the Cylons and get yourself killed in the process; that's justice now. You should've been killed back on New Caprica, but since you had the temerity to live, we're going to execute you now. That's justice!" he ended./

_You know, you know  
I thought it was all for me_

/As he left the stand, a cold shiver ran through the room, accompanied by the murmur of rapid conversation. The judges called for a recess. After a while, they reemerged. The woman on the captain's panel stepped forward. "After carefully weighing the evidence, this tribunal finds you not guilty," she stated. Minor pandemonium broke loose as Lee and Lampkin tried to get Baltar out of the room as quickly as possible./

_You know I don't want to make this mess  
But I might do it anyway_

Adama caught Lampkin before he could leave though. "Mr. Lampkin, I'd like a word with you," the admiral requested.

The attorney simply shrugged and followed the other man into a side storage room. "I hope you're not trying to get my client on some other charges," he remarked.

Adama folded his hands in front of him and looked aside. "No, my business is strictly with you."

Lampkin looked at him quizzically, but then smirked. "I must say you've proved me wrong though and for that I give you the credit that's due. She really wasn't your daughter."

The admiral raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"If she was your daughter, you'd have made a bloody pulp out of me by now for what I did in court," Lampkin stated with bravado.

Quicker than the attorney had ever considered, Adama had his hand around his throat, pressing him up against the wall. "Let's get one thing straight. If you so much as go within a hundred yards of the president, or her daughter, you will _disappear_. No one will find you. Most likely no one's gonna miss you either. They won't even find your body. Are we clear?" Adama told him evenly through clenched teeth.

"Quite," Lampkin squeaked. Adama released him and began to exit the room. "Was that a threat, Admiral?" the attorney called out.

Adama did not face him. "I don't make threats," he stated calmly as he then left the room, heading for CIC.

Roslin was already waiting for him behind the glass with her arms crossed. He joined her, preparing to face her wrath. "What happened, Bill?" she demanded quietly.

_You thought kiss and a little confess  
No, it's not that easy, babe_

"I got outvoted. In a way though, they made the right decision," he commented.

She glared at him mercilessly. "How the hell can you say that? After what that slimy lawyer did to Evie? After hearing yourself all the muck that happened on that forsaken rock? They let a traitor and a maniac loose on the grounds of being innocent. Innocent! Can you believe that? Do you honestly think that man is innocent?"

_You know, you know_

/"Innocent is different than 'not guilty,'" Adama mentioned/.

"The hell it is. Bill, I thought we were in this together," she retorted.

_I thought it was all for me_

"We are. We were trying to carry out a personal vendetta to punish one man for too many things that he did not control. What right did we have to abuse the legal system just to get him airlocked/We need to look toward the future and punishing him wasn't going to help," he tried to tell her as she stepped way from him/.

"They chose him over me. _You_ chose him over me," she accused.

Her tone cut into him and he tried to remain neutral. "Laura, I didn't betray you. It wasn't about justice anymore; it was about a witch hunt. It was wrong and we got caught. I got caught. As I told you, I got outvoted. I was making a judgment on my anger instead of on what was real. We have to guide this fleet with some semblance of moral sanity."

_You know, you know_

It was anger, hurt, and fear that caused her to strike out. She slapped him across the face, a red mark appearing shortly after. "I am _damned_ tired of your conscience right now," she growled.

"I know you're better than this," he remarked as he grabbed her wrist. "Listen to me. I _will_ see to it that you and Evie are protected. I will also make sure that Baltar is never in a position of power again."

Roslin jerked her arm free and headed for the door. "And I _will_ see that man on the other side of an airlock."

_I thought it was all for ..._

"The only way we're going to survive is if we learn how to move on," he reiterated as she walked out of the room.

/They stood apart at the table in CIC, watching as the Cylons appeared. The ships had just jumped to the nebula when the lights flickered. Roslin placed one hand on the table, removing her glasses with the other. Adama watched her with concern, noticing that she looked ill/.

/She was resting her elbow on the table, leaning on it just before the lights went out completely/. "Someone get the power back on!" Tigh demanded, having run from the room in which he had met with Tory, Tyrol, and Anders moments ago.

As the lights flickered on and reports of the strange power outage poured in from all over the fleet, the pilots were sent out to deal with the Cylons. Adama's attention, however, was on Roslin. "Laura, are you alright?" he whispered.

_You made me do this_

She ran a hand shakily through her hair and put her glasses back on. "I feel nauseous," she admitted. As she backed away from the table, the room seemed to spin. Fortunately he caught her gently by the arm. She was still angry with him, but she was glad for the support. "We're right on course," she muttered, glancing up at the screen depicting the nebula they had just entered.

He looked over at Tory and then back to her. "Why don't you let your aide walk you to Life Station?"

_You made me do this_

"That's probably a good idea," she replied. Tory walked toward her and offered her arm. Roslin took it firmly and the two left.

Adama tried to pull his mind away from worrying about her to concentrate on the fleet again. Then he noticed a Viper with an unknown pilot. /"Whoever's in Viper three, identify yourself,"/ Adama ordered.

_You know, you know_

The radio crackled and an all too familiar voice spoke. /"This is Apollo. And Starbuck is here too. Repeat, Starbuck is here too."/

_I thought it was all for me_

He wondered if his son had finally lost his mind for a moment. As they continued fighting the Cylons though, he decided that the questions could wait until the fleet was safe. As they entered the nebula, something about its composition caused the sensors of the Cylon vessels to scramble. Unable to see the fleet anymore, the Cylons left.

Able to take a breath for a moment, Adama radioed his son. "_Galactica_ Actual to Apollo, meet me in the hanger, and bring Starbuck."

"Apollo to _Galactica_ Actual, we're on our way, sir," Lee responded.

_You know, you know_

Adama took Tigh with him to inspect what his son had suggested. Lee stepped out of his Viper, heading quickly over to the other one. A woman who looked identical to Starbuck emerged. Without hesitation, Lee pulled her in his arms and kissed her soundly. Adama cleared his throat loudly, reminding them all of business they had to tend to.

"Alright, I need to know whom I'm dealing with," Adama stated, approaching the woman. "Who are you?"

_I thought it was all for me_

The woman looked at him as if he had sprouted horns. "I'm Captain Kara Thrace, Starbuck, sir. Who else would I be?"

_You know, you know_

"That depends on your next response. Where have you been?" Adama continued.

"To Earth. I know the way and I'm gonna take us there. On that planet, there was some sort of black hole or worm hole and I ended up finding Earth," she explained.

_It looks like her. It sounds like her. Could it really be her? This is all too convenient_, Adama reasoned. "I hate to do this, but until we can confirm your identity, you'll have to stay in the brig under observation."

All the color drained from her face. "But it's me, Admiral!"

_I thought it was all for_

"How do we know that? Last we heard, your ship exploded," Tigh reminded.

Lee joined in. "Dad, it's Kara! Why can't you just believe her?"

_You said it was all for_

"Because I have responsibilities and the safety of this fleet to consider. As for you, you're in the brig too for disregarding all protocol and jumping back into a Viper like that," Adama told him.

"Yes, sir," Lee said through gritted teeth. As they walked to the brig, Adama wondered how Roslin was fairing.

_I thought it was all for_

In Life Station, Cottle was shaking his head at Roslin, looking for another cigarette. "I can't believe you let it go this far. Young lady, you are off of chamalla. I don't want you taking any more chances," he stated gruffly.

_You said it was all for ... me_

"I suppose you're right. I have been taking less of it though," she pointed out.

While he left to find her another pain medication, she let her mind wander. _I wonder how Bill is doing. Did we escape the Cylons? I still can't believe he now thinks that Baltar's acquittal was the right thing. That attorney humiliated so many of us too. This was such a frakking mess. I can't believe Evie got dragged into it. A point was made though, a lot was forgiven and buried. I won't hide what Baltar did, but I can't just stop being the president so I can get my way. I would be breaking all the rules to airlock him now. I hate him, but I can't just stay mad at Bill for the rest of our lives._

Cottle interrupted her reverie, handing her a new container of pills. As she was about to leave, the phone rang. Cottle answered it and then passed it to her. "Hello?"

_Heart and soul you're mine_

"Madame President, I'm on a secure line. Kara Thrace as turned up," Adama relayed.

_Flesh and bone you're mine_

"Is it really her?" Roslin questioned.

_Heart and soul you're mine_

"I've got her in the brig along with Lee for other reasons. We're sending a vial of blood to Cottle for confirmation. You and I still need talk. Will I see you tonight?" he inquired.

_Flesh and bone you're mine_

She considered his request and decided that no matter the outcome, there were things they needed to discuss in order to perform their jobs. "Yes."

(My thanks to caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, TV1524, and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	19. Bending

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. The song _Right Here_ is by Staind and from nzhinga72's montage

Chapter 19: Bending

Roslin wandered into Adama's quarters, her body aching from head to toe from sheer exhaustion as she remembered that her pain killer was elsewhere. She smiled as Evie ran over to her and gave her a big hug. "And how was your day?"

"Fine Mommy. But I think Mrs. Dee is tired. She took a nap when I did," the girl informed her mother.

Roslin looked over at Dee with a sympathetic smile as the younger woman walked over to her. "I'm alright. It's just been a long day."

"Agreed. With the trial, the Cylons, and finding someone who claims to be Captain Thrace, it all adds up to the need for a good night's sleep," Roslin mentioned.

"I heard, and I'm sorry about the trial," she paused as Roslin sat down with a sigh and rubbed her eyes.

"It's life," Roslin stated half-hazardly. "How are you? Did the doctor confirm your suspicions?"

The women exchanged grins. "Yes. The admiral is going to be a grandfather."

"Congratulations then," the president conveyed.

"Thank you, ma'am," Dee responded. Then she glanced over at Evie. "Look, if you want, I can-"

She stopped as Adama walked in. "It'd be a good day to just go to bed now and forget the rest of it," he mumbled. Then he stopped dead in his tracks, remembering that he was not alone. "Madame President, Dee, Evie."

"Hello sir," Dee stated.

Energetic as always, Evie ran over to him and gave him a hug. "I think Mommy needs a nap."

"She's not the only one," he responded. "And how was your day?"

"Mrs. Dee drew animals with me. We had fun. And then she made algae sandwiches, and they didn't taste as good as yours, but we still ate them," she told him.

He mussed her hair. "Did you eat dinner yet?"

"We were just going to get to that, sir," Dee answered, showing them the two bowls of algae noodles she had ordered from the mess hall.

"Mommy needs to eat too," Evie reminded him.

Adama looked from Evie to Roslin, who was massaging her temples. "Right now though I need to talk to your mother about a few things."

"Sir, I was just going to tell the president that I don't mind watching Evie for a few more hours. We'll be in the guest quarters you gave me and I'll plan on putting her to bed and taking the couch if nobody shows up in half an hour," Dee suggested.

"That would be fine," Roslin answered.

She hugged Evie and kissed her forehead before sending her on her way. Soon it was just her and Adama. "She's very considerate," the president added after finding two extra algae sandwiches for dinner.

"Yes, and she'll give you a good kick in the ass when you need one too," he remarked with a half-smile as he accepted the sandwich Roslin handed to him. Then his expression became serious. "I know you're mad at me, but we need to talk about this."

Nodding, she turned to him, not moving from her place on the couch. "Where did you want to start, Admiral?"

_I know I've been mistaken  
But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made_

That she used his title said a great deal. "I'm sorry about the trial. I never meant for it to go this way, for it to become so personal to everyone. If I had just turned down the judge seat, I could have been watching Evie instead. It's my fault that Lampkin was able to gain ground when he questioned you."

_I've got some imperfections_

"Stop before you blame yourself more. I am mad at you, but we still need to work together as leaders. And regarding humanity, I've had time to think about it and I do see your reasoning. That doesn't change the fact that I'd still like to flush that man out an airlock. I still think he was connected to the cloning experiment somehow," she expressed.

"Just because he's a supposedly free man doesn't mean I don't have people watching him," he commented as she raised an eyebrow. "I didn't betray you, and I didn't switch sides. Fact is that everything got out of hand."

"'Out of hand' is an understatement. It blew up in our faces. But enough. I'm too tired to be mad at you right now. I accidentally left my pain killer on _Colonial One_ and I'm not about to fly all the way back to get it," she remarked.

_But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face?_

He walked from one end of the room to the other. "There's also the problem of the woman who claims to be Kara Thrace," he paused and she caught his eye for a moment.

"But you want it to be her and you're not sure if you can trust your own judgment here," she observed.

_But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting_

Nodding, he sat at the edge of his desk. "I think the world's really gone mad this time. How are you? What did Cottle tell you? I thought you were going to pass out in CIC."

_You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting_

She rubbed her neck and faced him. "He says it's probably something related to the chamalla. I just had this unusual wave of… something… that said we were going in the right direction."

_And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting_

"I suppose that is one good thing. And we did manage to lose the Cylons in the nebula," he reminded. Then he neared her and sat. "I hope you can forgive me for the messes we keep finding ourselves in."

_Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting_

Standing, she stood in front of him, her shoes off to the side. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

"I know, and I probably deserved it too," he responded.

_I hope you're not intending  
To be so condescending it's as much as i can take_

She tossed her jacket onto the arm of the couch and began to pace the room. "It's not you. I just don't know what to do anymore. It's all so overwhelming. I'm tired, Bill. I'm tired of trying to help people who do what they want and end up causing the fleet problems. I'm tired of revolting lawyers like Romo Lampkin. I'm just tired of everything right now," the last part was whispered.

_and you're so independent  
you just refuse to bend so I keep bending till I break_

He grasped her hand to make her stop pacing. "I know. And I have news regarding that ass of an attorney. I told him that if he came within a hundred yards of you or Evie, he would disappear."

She smirked, realizing what such a threat probably would have looked like. "You scared the living daylights out of him." Then she perched herself on the edge of the desk where he had had been earlier. "Oh, what I wouldn't give for a bottle of scotch right now," she groaned as she rubbed her neck and closed her eyes.

"Now that's something I might be able to help you with," he mentioned as he rose and headed off to the kitchen for a couple of glasses.

_But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting_

After retrieving them, he set them on the desk and disappeared into his bedroom. He reemerged with a bottle of amber liquid. "I happened to have an old bottle of Gemonese Scotch that should be aged to something decent by now, if you're interested," he offered.

_You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting_

Grinning, she lifted her glass as he opened the bottle. "That's the best idea you've had all day."

_And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting_

A few minutes later they were seated on the couch again with their drinks. She let it burn down the back of her throat. "Now this was a good year. I haven't had scotch like this for a long time."

_Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting_

"I got this the year I made colonel. I was so nervous my on my first day of the job. The commander I was serving with asked me why I kept breaking pencils," he paused and Roslin snorted a giggle. "Then he gave me a piece of advice I've never forgotten. He told me, 'Son, you're gonna face a lot of things in this world that are gonna seem a lot bigger than you. Always remember that if you just stare down the problem, you can find a solution. It might not be a permanent answer, few things are. But it'll get you out of a fix for a while. Look your problem in the eyes and let it know you're not gonna back down without a fight. And even if it does make you nervous, never let your men see it.'"

"I think I would've liked to meet him," Roslin stated as she took another sip of her drink.

Adama shook his head and chuckled. "No, you wouldn't. For all his advice, he was a world-class womanizer who would make Baltar look like a love-sick teenager."

_I've made a commitment_

Baltar. That brought the conversation back to the darker corner that they had tried to avoid. Roslin sighed heavily and turned to face him. "That man. Deities, I hate that man!"

"I'm sorry you were hurt in this mess," he conveyed.

"Bill, what are we going to do? The people we are supposed to lead on this quest of ours have let the man go. Again they chose him over me. Do they genuinely want him in charge?" she worried.

_I'm willing to bleed for you_

Adama put a hand on her shoulder. "His book stirred up enough trouble to confuse people. He's like Leoben and he creates descent with words. The people know in their hearts whom their leaders are. He's just confused them for a while. When things are good, they side with whoever appeases the whims they want, but when real trouble shows up they look back to who got them out of trouble the last time," he reminded.

_I needed fulfillment_

"I just don't know how to deal with this anymore. I feel like we're suspended on the verge of some abyss." She glanced down and frowned. "And my feet are cold."

_I found what I need in you_

He smirked at her assessment and stood. "I'll see if I can find you some socks," he told her as he left the room. He returned a moment later and sighed. "They're all in the laundry."

As he reseated himself on the couch, she surprised him by laughing. "This whole day has been one mess after another. I can't even get my feet warm."

_Why can't you just forgive me  
I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way_

An idea occurred to him and he debated whether or not to go through with it. At last he had his answer when she sat next to him. "I just thought of something," he began. "How long has it been since someone gave you a foot massage?"

_But I always find a way to keep you right here waiting  
I always find the words to say to keep you right here waiting_

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him incredulously. _Did he just ask me that? It must be the scotch talking_. "It's been quite a while actually. Are you offering?"

_But you always find a way_

"Yes," was his simple reply.

_To keep me right here waiting_

Hiding her nervousness over what she considered to be a strange idea, she lightly rested her feet in his lap. Without hesitation he began his ministrations, slowly, deliberately, gently. His plan worked only too well. Her feet were warm, but due to his proximity she was warm for other reasons. She was tired of fighting him, both verbally and emotionally. When he started to massage her calves, she leaned forward and he stopped.

_You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting_

They faced each other and time seemed to stand still. Then her lips crashed into his. This time he was the one who deepened the kiss, sliding his hands under her un-tucked blouse. She slid his jacket off and her arms encircled his neck. As they broke the impassioned kiss to breath, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward his rack.

_And if I chose to walk away would you be right here waiting_

He set her down in his rack and began kissing her neck as he unbuttoned her blouse. She slid her hands under his tanks and plucked them off. Clothes were removed and tossed aside carelessly as they continued to explore each other. The world and its problems were forgotten for a few hours as the two succumbed to their feelings for one another and at last fell asleep entangled together.

_Searching for the things to say to keep me right here waiting_

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, Mariel3, max72, and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	20. Women troubles

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. Billy Joel's "She's Always A Woman," is from nnaylime's montage.

Chapter 20: Women troubles

Roslin opened her eyes to a familiar room that was not her own for the second night in a row, but this time the situation was quite different. She was in bed with Bill Adama again, but their clothes littered the floor and she was aware of exactly what they had done the previous evening. She grinned at Adama as he continued to snore and kissed his cheek.

"Bill," she whispered. Nothing happened and she tried again, this time a little louder. _You're usually far more alert than this. Must have been the scotch_, she reasoned. Then a mischievous grin spread over her face as she thought of the perfect way to wake him. In a voice that sounded as authoritative as she could, she told him, "Get your fat, lazy ass out of that rack, Adama!"

_She can kill with a smile  
She can wound with her eyes_

He sat up straight immediately and looked around the room as if he was under attack. Roslin could not help giggling. "Did you have to do that?" he grumbled.

_She can ruin your faith with her casual lies_

She nodded. "I've never seen you sleep so soundly."

Clearing his throat, he glanced away at the mess of clothes on the floor. "Probably the scotch and other things."

Glancing at the clock, she turned back to him. "It's not yet 0500. I'm going to take a quick shower and then you can take yours while I retrieve Evie," she suggested before kissing him softly. He nodded and she made her way to his bathroom.

_And she only reveals what she wants you to see_

Later she returned with Dee and Evie. They all ate breakfast before beginning the day's activities. "Was everything alright last night?" Roslin asked Dee.

"Yes ma'am," she replied.

"I had a dream too. I was standing on the ground and I saw stars," Evie added.

Roslin raised an eyebrow. "What types of stars?"

Evie looked for a piece of paper and a crayon. Then she made dots with the crayon and handed the paper to her mother. "What are they?"

"I don't know, sweetie," Roslin responded as she folded the paper and placed it in the pocket of her skirt.

"Mommy, am I going to day care today?" the girl asked brightly.

Roslin sighed and thought for a moment. "Sweetie, since Mrs. Dee needs to be at work today. I think I'll leave you with Tory." Then she turned to Adama and whispered, "Tory seems more like herself lately."

_She hides like a child,  
But she's always a woman to me_

"That's fine. I think they should stay here though, less chance of finding trouble," he relayed, meaning his quarters.

After the minor details were settled, Dee headed off to do her job in CIC while Roslin and Adama went in the same direction to assess the status of the fleet. Repairs had begun yesterday and were moving along, despite the limited supplies to use in such repairs. The news from the trial had been shoved aside during the Cylon attack and was now quietly making its way into the headlines again. Roslin scanned the paper Gaeta handed her three times, noticing that somehow the mention of her daughter being a clone had been conveniently left out.

_She can lead you to love  
She can take you or leave you_

She pulled Adama aside and showed him the paper. "I'm surprised it's not in here. Usually the press uses any juicy item they come across," Roslin pointed out.

Tigh and Adama exchanged glances before Adama spoke to her. "Let's just say that keeping the cloning aspect quiet became a matter of fleet security and when news becomes fleet security, it stops becoming news," he explained.

_She can ask for the truth  
But she'll never believe_

"Thank you," she whispered, squeezing his hand.

_And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free_

She gazed out into the yellowish nebula for a while, leaning forward and resting her forearms on the table. "I wonder what we're supposed to be looking for."

"I wish I knew. We've been scanning for a probe, but nothing's come back so far," he commented. "If only we had a set of coordinates to go on."

Something flashed in the back of Roslin's mind, something she could not quite remember. She paused and put her hands on her hips to think. Then she felt it: the paper from Evie. Quickly she pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. "Do these look like jump coordinates to you?" she asked him.

_Yeah, she steals like a thief  
But she's always a woman to me_

He took the paper and studied it. "Yes, actually. Where did you get this from?"

_Oh--she takes care of herself  
She can wait if she wants  
She's ahead of her time_

"Evie," she whispered. Roslin then left to meet with some of the Quorum members on civilian matters. After configuring the coordinates, Adama headed to the brig to speak with the woman who called herself Kara.

_Oh--and she never gives out  
And she never gives in  
She just changes her mind_

She looked up from the hard cell bed, startled as he entered the main room. Lee ran to the front of his cell. "Sir, can we get out of here soon?"

"You're in there until I can trust you again," he said gruffly. Then he turned to Kara. "And now I need some real answers."

_And she'll promise you more  
Than the Garden of Eden_

"I'll do my best, sir," Kara stated after saluting.

He walked from one side of the room to the other, then stopped and folded his hands in front of him. "I'll start with the easy part. What happened when your Viper exploded?"

"It wasn't what it looked like, sir. The storms must've made it look different. The Viper went through a black hole," she explained.

_Then she'll carelessly cut you  
And laugh while you're bleedin'_

"Why did you go back to Caprica after the attacks?" he inquired.

"To get the Arrow of Apollo," she replied logically.

"What did the Cylons subject you to on New Caprica?" he probed.

_But she'll bring out the best_

She frowned at him, as if taking offense. "Leoben made me his prisoner and tried to play house with me and a child that he said was from my eggs."

_And the worst you can be_

Immediately he felt bad for making her relive that time. "I'm sorry, poor question. Why is my call sign 'Husker?'"

_Blame it all on yourself_

She smirked. "You never told me. Whatever the story is, it's either really juicy, or really embarrassing."

_It sounds like her_. He smiled, breaking the interrogation expression for a moment. "Who were you engaged to some years ago?"

"Your son, Zack," she answered.

"Do you really know the way to Earth?" he probed.

She brightened. "As best I understand it, sir."

_Cause she's always a woman to me_

He decided to let matters rest and discuss them with the president. As he walked out of the door, he called back, "What do you hear, Starbuck?"

"Nothing but the rain, sir," she answered with a smile.

"Then grab your gun and bring in the cat," he ended as he left.

Roslin was planning to head back to Galactica after checking on the Sagittarian issues with Zarek. As the conversation drew to a close, he put his folder aside. "I know about Thrace coming back from the dead," he mentioned.

_Oh--she takes care of herself  
She can wait if she wants  
She's ahead of her time_

"The admiral is having her questioned. We still don't know if-" he interrupted her.

"The question is how will you keep everything quiet regarding this? The pilots and half the deck hands probably know. Lee Adama's in the brig too. The whole thing looks suspicious. I'm just trying to point out the tracks you need to cover," he remarked.

She nodded. "I'll figure something out."

As she was gathering her supplies, he walked over to her. "Before you go, I just wanted to tell you about something you might find… interesting."

"Go on," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Your aide and Sam Anders are romantically involved," he told her.

Her jaw nearly dropped. She had not expected anything like that. "Are your certain? Tory and Anders?" she asked incredulously.

"Positive," he finished.

Roslin arrived back at Adama's quarters and found Tory trying to explain addition to the girl. "Now if you have three pencils and you add two more, that makes five and-" she jerked her head up, seeing the president enter. "Madame President."

_Oh--and she never gives out  
And she never gives in  
She just changes her mind_

Evie ran over and hugged Roslin. "Mommy! Tory was teaching me to count pencils," the little girl relayed.

"I need to talk to Tory for a while," Roslin told her.

"Okay. I'm gonna make a fort," she relayed, walking over to a blanket and pillows on the couch.

Roslin turned toward her aide. "I need to ask you a few personal questions," Roslin began.

Tory gulped. _She knows what I am_. "Yes, Madame President?"

"Are you involved with Sam Anders?" she whispered.

_That's the last thing I thought she would ask about_. "It's not really any of your business, ma'am."

"It is since his wife came back from the dead. I can't stop you, but I can tell you what's at stake. As soon as we confirm that she really is Captain Thrace, we have to tell him," Roslin relayed.

Tory blinked and thought for a while, looking away. Then she took a deep breath. "Yes, ma'am," she added quietly.

As Tory left, Roslin watched as Evie threw the blanket between the wall of pillows she had made and the couch. "Sweetie, I think you have a cave."

Evie giggled. "And there's a bear in it too," she stated, sticking her teddy bear out of the opening.

Adama entered a moment later. "Laura," he said before drawing her close to kiss her softly. "I didn't expect to see you hear just yet."

"Zarek took care of more than I gave him credit for. Tory has been seeing Anders," she whispered.

"That's one more mess then, isn't it?" he commented.

Evie dashed over to him, breaking their discussion as she gave the admiral a hug. He returned it and she zipped away to retrieve a book, then rushed over to him. "Tory didn't want to read to me. She taught me counting. Will you read to me?"

He smiled kindly and mussed her hair. "Is after dinner okay?"

She weighed the question in her mind for a minute before replying, "Okay."

He and Roslin headed toward the kitchen while Evie colored. "How did the interrogation with Captain Thrace go?" Roslin questioned as she began making algae patties.

_She is frequently kind  
And she's suddenly cruel_

Adama sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She said all the right things."

Roslin eyed him, puzzled. "That's good, isn't it?"

"Something's wrong," he stated as he looked away.

_She can do as she pleases  
She's nobody's fool_

She reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. "But Bill-"

"She said _exactly _what we wanted to hear. That's the problem," he explained.

"Then we'll have Cottle run the necessary tests and we'll find out whether or not we can believe her. I know you want to believe her, but I also know that you want proof," she assessed.

She noted that his eyes still carried a haggard look. "And then there's Lee. What the hell am I supposed to do with him? I'm still angry for what he did to you, and for what he's put his wife through. But I can't keep him in the brig indefinitely."

_And she can't be convicted_

Taking one of his hands in hers, she said, "Why don't we speak with both of them tomorrow?"

_She's earned her degree_

"You sure you want to come?" he probed.

She nodded, flipping the patties over with her free hand. "There are things that need to be said. We also need answers and the only way we're going to have those answers is if we move forward and ask the right questions."

He reached over and cupped her face with one hand, turning her head so that she faced him. Then he kissed her tenderly. "Where are you staying tonight?"

She blushed. "I was thinking of returning to _Colonial One_. Staying here three nights in a row is going to cause gossip."

"Would I convince you to stay if I told you it was a matter of fleet safety? The Cylons could still be out there, you know," he attempted to persuade her.

"Well, perhaps. I suppose it would be better for Evie too if we stayed," she mentioned, turning back to dinner.

_And the most she will do  
_

He extracted the spatula from her grasp. "Is that a 'yes?'"

She smirked and kissed him lightly, taking back the spatula. "You, sir, are a pest in the kitchen! What am I going to do with you?" she scolded.

_Is throw shadows at you_

"I've been wondering about that one myself," he responded in a sultry tone.

_But she's always a woman to me_

She furrowed her brow and swatted him with a dish towel. He chuckled and helped her find plates and silverware for dinner. After the meal, he read to Evie as he had promised. For sleeping arrangements, he took the couch, allowing Roslin and Evie to take the bed.

(My thanks to Mariel3, caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, Tchi, and TV1524 for reviewing :D)


	21. Back to the routine

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Takin' Care of Business" is by Bachman – Turner Overdrive.

Chapter 21: Back to the routine

As an alarm clock went off, Roslin yawned and blinked sleepily. Then the girl in her arms squired and jumped out of bed. "It's morning, Mommy!"

_You get up every morning_

Roslin sat up and smiled. "Yes, sweetie, it is. Why don't you go wake up Bill?"

_From your alarm clock's warning_

"Okay," she stated before she dashed off.

_Take the 8:15 into the city_

Making the bed as she stood, Roslin glanced down at the wrinkled clothes she had slept in and sighed. _Something tells me this isn't going to be a leisurely morning_. Meanwhile Evie had attempted to sneak up on the admiral. However, trying to be quiet while sneaking was a very difficult matter, especially when she kept giggling. Adama pretended to be sleeping to humor her, snoring loudly.

She tiptoed closer, reaching out to gently tap him on the shoulder. "Morning, Bill!" she said brightly.

Though he was awake, he pretended to grumble and pulled the blanket up over his head. "Later."

"No, it's morning!" she insisted, pulling the blanket back from his face.

He chuckled and sat up, reaching over to muss her hair. "Good morning to you too."

_There's a whistle up above  
And people pushin', people shovin'  
And the girls who try to look pretty_

Roslin had seen most of the exchange and was trying to muffle her own laughter as she made her way over to them. He stood and folded the blanket, having slept in his uniform minus the jacket. She put one hand on his shoulder and kissed him soundly. "Good morning, Bill."

He returned the kiss. "Good morning, Laura. Are we having breakfast again?"

She glanced down at her clothes and sighed. "Evie and I should head back to _Colonial One_ for a fresh change of clothes."

"Give Tory a call and have her bring something over," he suggested. "I… wouldn't mind if you wanted to leave a few things here."

Roslin shook her head and giggled. "As nice as that sounds, it might start to look suspicious if the president never sets foot on her own ship again."

_And if your train's on time_

Adama sighed. "I suppose you're right."

_You can get to work by nine_

While the admiral took his shower, Roslin called _Colonial One_, attempting to reach Tory. Much to her frustration, her aide was unaccounted for. "Where could she have gone?" Roslin wondered aloud.

_And start your slaving job to get your pay_

Evie walked over to her and climbed up onto her lap. "Who?"

"Tory. I can't find her. Oh well. Come on, sweetie. We need to get clean clothes before there are too many people awake to notice," Roslin mentioned.

After she had showered and found a fresh suit, Roslin made sure that Evie was clean and then she tried to locate her aide. After making four more calls, she slumped forward on her desk, unsuccessful. She jumped when the phone rang. "Roslin."

"Laura, we have to talk. Do you have any meetings this morning?" Zarek's voice asked her.

"I was supposed to go over things with Tory, but I can't find her," the president admitted.

"I'll be right over," he said as he hung up.

Evie colored in the sleeping area while Roslin met with Zarek. "What's this about?" she asked.

_If you ever get annoyed  
Look at me I'm self-employed  
I love to work at nothing all day  
And I'll be..._

"Your aide for one. Call the admiral and ask if Colonel Tigh is with him," the vice president requested.

"Tell me what's going on first," she requested.

_Taking care of business every day_

He sighed, sitting across from her. "They're meeting together."

_Taking care of business every way_

"Tigh and Tory?" she inquired incredulously.

He shook his head. "No. Tigh, Tory, Anders, and Tyrol."

_I've been taking care of business, it's all mine_

"For what?" she demanded.

"You'll have to ask them," Zarek responded.

_Taking care of business and working overtime_

"And just how do you know so much about all this?" she questioned.

_Work out_

"I'll tell you after you speak with them," he finished.

She called the admiral and told him to arrange a meeting with the necessary people. An hour later, she waited with him in his office for them to arrive. "Laura, are you sure Zarek was talking about the right people?" Adama probed.

_If it were easy as fishin'_

"Yes, and then I'll find out what stake he has in all of this," she commented.

"I'm surprised you don't already know. Whatever's going on, if he's in on it, it must be big," Adama added.

_You could be a musician_

Shortly the others arrived. "Is there some reason you wanted to see all of us?" Tigh inquired.

_If you could make sounds loud or mellow_

"Yes. Is there something the four of you would like to tell us? We have sources that claim you've been meeting secretly," Adama mentioned.

Tory faltered and looked away. Anders looked down at his shoes. Even Tigh could not face the others. Tyrol, who had already butted heads with both the president and the admiral, figured that it was just one more altercation to add to the list. "We're Cylons," he blurted out.

_Get a second-hand guitar  
Chances are you'll go far  
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows_

"Care to explain this, Saul?" Adama questioned his friend.

Tigh took a deep breath and then faced them. "Remember the music I kept saying I was hearing? All four of us were the only ones hearing it. We were drawn to one room and figured out that we were Cylons. Then we realized that who we are now is who we want to be known as and we went back to doing our jobs, stopping those frakking toasters, because it was the right thing to do. It doesn't matter what we are. We don't want those tin cans to win."

The admiral and the president glanced at each other, waiting for the other to speak first. Finally Adama broke the silence. "I want you all to report to Cottle and be tested. If indeed you are Cylons, then you might all be watched in case you have programming that could be lethal."

"It might be advisable to assign a guard to the area in which all four of you work," Roslin suggested.

"Whatever you believe is necessary, sir," Tory responded, still looking away.

As they were dismissed, Adama paced the room. "Just what are we supposed to do now?" he grumbled.

_People see you having fun_

"We, as you say, play this by ear and hope that nobody gets hurt," Roslin stated.

_Just a-lying in the sun_

He sighed heavily. "This complicates things exponentially. I've known Saul for most of my career. This is the craziest thing I've ever heard of. Next you'll be telling me I'm a Cylon too."

_Tell them that you like it this way_

She smirked and walked over to him. "I already made that mistake once. You and I are long past that."

He took her hands in his and kissed her softly. "I don't think I've ever told you how much it means to have you here with me."

_It's the work that we avoid  
And we're all self-employed  
We love to work at nothing all day_

_And we be..._

Blushing, she smiled calmly. "I feel the same. I do believe though that we intended to see Jack about some samples and then have a meeting with a certain blonde pilot."

_Taking care of business every day_

They headed to Life Station to find Cottle gathering papers in a folder. "I was just going to find you two," he commented. He motioned for them to follow him to his back office. The folder he had just arranged in his right hand, he pulled out a drawer and leafed through other folders with his left, removing one and setting it on the desk.

"We came to ask about Kara's results and to make sure that the four people we sent over here get blood tests," Adama remarked.

_Taking care of business every way_

"They were here a while ago. We'll know those results in about ten hours. What I have to show you is in regard to Kara Thrace," Cottle began. He flipped to scanning results in both folders that mirrored each other. Roslin recognized the other folder.

"Jack, why did you need my folder?" she inquired.

_I've been taking care of business, it's all mine_

He pointed to the graphs. "If I hadn't found out what I did from your blood test and your clone's, we wouldn't be standing here right now. The woman you've got in that cell is, as I told you before, fully human. However," he paused and pulled out a graph from an earlier blood test in Kara Thrace's folder, "if you look closely here, you can see the deviation. All military personnel have a blood test on file when they come in. This chart shows the exact same genetic deviation that Evie has with you, but they must have made some improvements because it's much more gradual and if I hadn't known what to look for, we'd never have noticed."

"You're telling me we've got an adult clone with memories in the brig?" Adama weeded through Cottle's explanation.

_Taking care of business and working overtime_

"That's exactly what you've got," he replied. "They probably got her DNA back when they harvested some of her eggs."

"Then how did she know about the Viper being destroyed?" Roslin reminded.

Adama thought for a moment. "She might have heard it mentioned enough from Lee, or me when I questioned her to form a quick story."

"Or there really was a Cylon raider that she was chasing that day," Cottle added.

The admiral rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Which means that she was programmed to think she had been to Earth in order to lead us to some Cylon trap."

"What are you going to do with her now?" Cottle inquired.

Adama headed toward the door and motioned for Roslin to follow. "We're getting some real answers."

_Take good care of my business  
When I'm away, every day whoo!_

The woman who presumed herself to be Kara stood and saluted as the admiral and the president entered. Lee stood as well. "Can we leave now, sir?" he asked.

"Not just yet, son," Adama stated, facing the blonde woman. "We got your results back. You're not a Cylon."

"Like I told you! Now will you believe me?" she pursued.

_You get up every morning_

"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Roslin began. "There were-"

"Let me through!" Anders demanded, cutting Roslin off as he burst into the room followed by two marines. He scrambled over to the blonde woman's cell.

_From your alarm clock's warning_

"What is the meaning of this?" the admiral demanded evenly.

Anders glared at him. "Forgive my disrespect, sir, but my wife came back from the dead and I had to find out my own way. I can't believe nobody felt like telling me!"

_Take the 8:15 into the city_

"That's not your wife," Adama corrected.

"Damn right, I'm not!" the woman added.

"Of course you are! We were married on New Caprica!" Anders yelled. Then he turned to glare viciously at Lee. "This is all your fault. If you hadn't-"

"What are you talking about? We were never married! I was kidnapped by Cylons on New Caprica!" she argued back.

_There's a whistle up above  
And people pushin', people shovin'  
And the girls who try to look pretty_

"Not exactly," Roslin interjected.

"Everybody shut up!" Lee shouted. Then the room was momentarily quiet. "Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" he requested.

Roslin stepped forward and had the guards pull Anders away from the cell. "I believe we were just getting to that."

Adama gave her a nod of thanks and spoke. "You're not Kara Thrace. You're a clone. A fully human person with memories, yes, but still a clone. Some of these memories were Kara Thrace's, and some were programmed into you by the Cylons. We can only guess that you were sent here lead us to some sort of trap."

She shook her head adamantly. "No, no, you've gotta be frakking kidding me! I know who I am!"

"I'm sorry, but we have proof," Roslin told her.

"What proof?" Lee demanded.

Roslin crossed her arms, still upset with him. "That's not your concern, Mr. Adama. Let me just say that with the genetic information of one clone, discovering another was not so difficult."

"I don't believe any of this! Lee, tell them they're lying!" the blonde woman exclaimed, almost hysterical.

Lee paced the cell, thinking over his finding Kara, the Cylons being there, and the fact that she insisted she was not married to Anders. He stepped close to the bars and reached through, finding her hand. "Kara," he began quietly, "where were you the night of the groundbreaking ceremony on New Caprica?"

She turned her head to one side and studied him. Looking in his eyes, she knew that he expected something of her, something that was important to him. "I suppose I got drunk and passed out."

"No. You drank me under the table," Anders stated. "What happened after that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I got drunk and passed out," she said.

Anders shook off the guards and left. Lee walked away from her, sighing heavily. "No you didn't. You're not Kara." He faced the wall, but the others heard his voice crack as tears slid down his face. "You're not Kara! You're some frakking Cylon experiment! Everything is frakked! There is no Earth, Kara's really gone, and everything is frakked!"

_And if your train's on time_

Adama lightly touched Roslin's elbow and she nodded. "I do believe it's time we left for a while."

"Lee, you and I need to have a long talk. I'll be back later," Adama mentioned.

_You can get to work by nine_

"We should question the Six," Roslin mentioned.

They left the blonde clone and Lee as they headed to another set of rooms. Adama decided to wait behind the glass as Roslin talked to the Cylon. "Hello, Six. Are they treating you well?" Roslin began politely.

_And start your slaving job to get your pay_

"As good as I should expect. I really don't see why you lock me up. I'm not the one you've got to worry about. The Final Five are the ones you should watch out for," Six relayed.

"Have you been having dreams?" Roslin inquired.

Six smirked and walked forward. "You know the answer to that."

Roslin stepped closer. "Why Hera? What is so important about Hera?"

"She's not the only one, is she?" Six bated.

The president decided to be direct. "Why did the Cylons feel the need to clone us?" Roslin questioned.

"How would you know about that?" Six threw back.

"We have discovered that Captain Thrace is a clone," Roslin told her. "How did you know about the cloning experiment?"

Six smiled arrogantly. "I thought you were smarter than that. It was because of you and the resistance that my predecessor was killed. She was one of the three who knew about the experiment."

_If you ever get annoyed  
Look at me I'm self-employed  
I love to work at nothing all day  
And I'll be..._

"Then you already know how I learned about it," Roslin responded. "Baltar was the mastermind who devised the techniques though. He hasn't been by to visit you once since the trial, has he?"

Six faltered. "He planned it all, but never once came down to inspect what we were doing, or how our research was progressing. He was too busy trying to keep the humans from killing each other."

Roslin ignored the barb. "What I would like to know is, why?"

Six rolled her eyes as if Roslin should have known the answer. "The Cylons are dying. There is a fundamental flaw in our regeneration process and we cannot sustain it indefinitely. That is why we need hybrids and clones."

Adama had heard the entire conversation as Roslin met him behind the glass. "I told you Baltar was involved," she remarked.

"Yes, and now we have some tangible answers," he stated.

"The Cylons will be their own destruction," she assessed.

He nodded. "By trying to be immortal and cheat death, they've been killing themselves."

_Taking care of business every day_

The two left and Roslin picked Evie up from day care before they entered his quarters. "How was your day?" she asked her daughter.

"Fine, Mommy. I had a dream at naptime," the girl mentioned as they walked through Adama's hatch.

_Taking care of business every way_

"Oh? What about?" Roslin inquired.

The three of them sat on the couch together as Evie explained herself. "The dark-haired man talked to the shiny men."

They had realized that Baltar was the dark-haired man and listened with interest. "What did he talk to them with?" Adama asked.

Evie thought for a moment and used her hands to make the shape in the air. "He talked with a seashell."

_I've been taking care of business, it's all mine_

"You mean he talked with a seashell. Did the radio device he used look like a seashell?" Roslin probed.

The girl shook her head. "No, he talked with a seashell," she reiterated, drawing the shape with her hands again.

An idea occurred to Adama as he stood and searched his desk for a pencil and paper. "Is this what it looked like?" he asked, showing her a repeating outline of a seashell.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, pleased that he had understood her.

He showed the drawing to Roslin. "She saw the radio waves in her dream. I think I know what he used. It was experimental when I saw one of them, but it's a small radio that sends a signal over a great distance. The way these waves work though, our standard equipment has to be adjusted in order to pick them up. I'm going to CIC."

_Taking care of business and working overtime_

As he left, Evie tugged at Roslin's skirt. "Mommy, that wasn't all the dream."

Roslin faced the girl. "Do you remember the rest?"

Evie nodded. "We found another ship! The man Bill told me about, the one who couldn't go home for a long time because he got the ocean god mad, his name was on the ship! And Mommy, I saw stars."

The older woman headed for the desk, finding Evie a pencil and paper. "Would you draw them please?"

_Takin' care of business_

Evie closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them to make dots on the paper. "We need to go there," she explained.

_Takin' care of business_

Scooping Evie up into her arms, Roslin left Adama's quarters and headed toward CIC. He looked over and raised an eyebrow as she entered. First she set Evie down and walked down to the lower part, then she helped her daughter down. "We found the signal and terminated it. We should be able to track down the person who sent it in a couple of hours. What's wrong?" Adama asked her quietly, knowing that she would not bring the girl into CIC unless it was important.

_Takin' care of business_

"Evie's dream was longer," she whispered, removing a folded piece of paper from her skirt pocket. "She said we're supposed to go here and meet a ship."

_Takin' care of business_

He took the paper and studied it. "Are you sure about this?"

"I have been sure of very few things in my life, but this is one of them," she relayed.

"Alright then," he stated before turning toward Gaeta. "Lieutenant, set course for these coordinates."

_Takin' care of business..._

(My thanks to caramelapples, max72, hadizha, Mariel3, and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	22. The receiving end

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Faith of the Heart" is by Watson Russell.

_"Earth Speech"_

"Colonial Speech"

Chapter 22: The receiving end

2257 United Earth Alliance

General Deidre Mason paced back and forth on the bridge of the _Odyssey_, resting a hand on the deck railing intermittently. "_Colonel, do you have confirmation on those readings yet_?"

"_Affirmative, sir. They are coming closer to us incrementally. I do not know how, but every once in a while they disappear from our radar_," Colonel Robert Chang relayed.

Mason nodded, stopping to drum her fingers pensively as she waited for more information. Her other hand briefly checked the bun at the nape of her neck that her mahogany-brown hair was coiled in. A few gray streaks peaked out through the rich brown. In her thirty years of service, patience had continued to elude her. Lieutenant Connie Red's head shot up from her console. "_Sir, something just appeared, and it's big_."

"_On screen, Lieutenant_," the general requested.

_Galactica_ appeared on the viewscreen and shortly there was a communication beep. "_Sir, they're hailing us_," Red stated.

Mason walked toward the screen. "_Do we have visual_?"

"_Yes, sir_," the lieutenant replied.

_It's been a long road  
Getting from there to here_

A room with a large table and consoles surrounded by more consoles on a higher deck came into view. At the center of the screen a sturdy man with glasses, a moustache, and graying brown hair was speaking. Next to him stood a woman with glasses and dark auburn hair. A tall balding man with an eye patch stood off to the right of the screen and a black-haired woman stood near the other woman. The man with the moustache was speaking, but it was unintelligible.

_It's been a long time  
But my time is finally near_

"_What are they speaking? And why isn't the linguistic database configuring for it_?" Mason demanded, wondering for a second if it was her hearing loss and not the visitors.

"_The database is functioning, it's only a little slow in picking up the patterns_," Chang told her.

The general threw her hands up in frustration. "_We don't have time to be slow! Lieutenant, I want that database functioning properly now_."

"_Working on it, sir_," Red explained.

"_What was that_?" Mason hated asking people to repeat themselves, but she had not caught the entire statement.

"_We're working on the problem, sir_," the lieutenant reiterated.

Mason scrutinized the faces on the screen for a moment and then followed Chang. "_Colonel, they've got S.O.A.s on their bridge. Do you think they could be working with them_?"

"_It is possible, but it's equally possible that they do not know whom they have. Their vessel is not as advanced as ours_," he answered.

"_Scan the ship for S.O.A.s then_," she ordered.

Lieutenant Esteban Cruz examined his console. "_Sir, they've got nine of them, but two are very faint_."

"_This would be a hell of a lot easier if we knew what they were saying_," she grumbled.

Chang walked over to the general. "_Perhaps we should try communicating with them. They might have a translation device too_."

Mason sighed heavily. "_I suppose it couldn't hurt to try_." She glanced over her shoulder at another lieutenant. "_Open a channel. This is General Mason of the United Earth Alliance, on the Spacecraft Odyssey. Who are all of you and where do you come from_?"

Back on _Galactica_, Adama and Roslin looked at the viewscreen in confusion. "Why are they speaking gibberish?" Roslin whispered.

_And I can feel the change in the wind right now  
Nothing's in my way_

"Maybe they don't speak our language anymore. Judging by how they seem to be scrambling to their consoles, I'd say they're having as much difficulty as we are," Adama remarked.

The viewscreen showed a room paneled in light gray with sets of chairs forming a geometric line. A woman in her fifties in a green two-piece uniform circled the room, looking over the shoulders of everyone. "I'd say she's the one in charge," he added.

_And they're not gonna hold me down no more  
No they're not gonna hold me down_

Roslin sighed and leaned toward Adama. "I really hope that it isn't a ship full of new Cylon models. It would be nice to think that we're actually on the right track for once."

When he thought no one was looking, he reached for her right hand, which had been resting on the table, with is left and squeezed it. "No matter who they are, we'll get through this together."

Mason had stopped in her pacing to watch the viewscreen of the strange people they had found. "_I sincerely hope that we can communicate with them before Edward hears any of this. I know he's been tracking the same signals that we were_."

"_Do you really think that he wants to tear his people away from their latest genetic breakthroughs to see what you are doing_?" Chang mentioned.

"_He's my brother. I know he'll try to get an edge on all of this_," Mason stated. She raised an eyebrow, noticing how the man with the moustache and the auburn-haired woman were speaking to one another. "_The man in the middle is probably in charge. I'm surprised that he would have his wife on the bridge with him though_."

By her chair the screen on the console beeped, indicating that she was receiving a message. She pressed a few buttons and a familiar face appeared on the tiny screen. "_Edward, you're supposed to use a private channel if it's anything other than military business_," she relayed, the annoyance at him saturating her voice.

"_My dear sister, you're hiding some grand situation over there and I'm coming to see what it is. We've gotten some interesting readings. If you are in a First Contact situation, we want to be there too_," he retorted.

"_You just want to stab me in the back and take all the credit instead of following the rules_," she threw back.

"_Come on, Dotty. What's a little competition between siblings_?" he goaded.

She glared at him mercilessly. "_It's petty and inappropriate when it jeopardizes lives. Now get off my screen_," she told him evenly.

His face disappeared and Mason shook her head. Red spoke up from her console, putting Mason's thoughts back on the current situation. "_Sir, if they've got S.O.A.s, maybe they use the same language. I think they spoke some kind of Ancient Greek_."

_'Cause I've got faith of the heart  
I'm going where my heart will take me  
I've got faith to believe  
I can do anything_

Mason and Chang exchanged glances. "_It's worth a try_."

Reconfiguring the database, they replayed the audio message received from the other ship and heard it clearly. "This is Admiral Adama of the _Battlestar Galactica_ and the Colonial Fleet from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. Who are all of you?"

For the first time that day, Mason let a smile slip through her usual business expression. "_Finally, something that works right. Hail them again. We have received your message, Admiral. This is General Mason of the United Earth Alliance Starcraft Odyssey. Why are you speaking in one of our old Earth languages_?"

On Galactica everyone in CIC smiled at making contact. Adama spoke again. "It's a long story, so I'll try to make this brief. There was a group that broke off from the tribes of Kobol and it was said that they found Earth. Since the destruction of our own worlds, we've been searching for Earth and would like to resettle our civilization."

_I've got strength of the soul  
And no one's gonna bend or break me  
I can reach any star  
I've got faith, I've got faith, faith of the heart_

Mason raised an eyebrow. "_But you only have one ship. I'd hardly call that a civilization_."

Roslin could not suppress a grin. "We have the Colonial Fleet. They're waiting for us to send word that it's safe to join us."

_It's been a long night  
Trying to find my way_

"You might want to introduce yourself as well," Adama mentioned quietly. Roslin nodded and faced the screen.

"I am President Roslin, president of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol," she stated.

_Been through the darkness  
Now I've finally had my day  
_

Mason's surprise was readable even on _Galactica_. Chang hid a smirk at her reaction as she faced them, wide-eyed for a moment. Mason then recovered herself as if the incident had never occurred. "_Perhaps there are a few things to discuss then. We have portable translation devices and would be happy to have you as our guests_," she informed them, wanting to keep the discussions on her own turf.

Roslin had similar ideas. "Actually General, I believe it would be better if you were to visit us here. With all due respect, we have far more at stake in this matter."

Chang leaned toward Mason. "_This could be a trap set by the S.O.A.s_."

"_Which is why I'm leaving you in charge here while I take Lieutenant Red with me_," Mason responded.

"_But what about your_-"

"_Colonel, it's fine_," she interjected. Then she faced the viewscreen again. "_We will see you on your ship then_."

"Then we look forward to meeting with you and I-" Roslin stopped and Mason heard a small voice.

"Mommy, I'm hungry. Is it dinner time yet?" the small voice asked.

"Hang on, sweetie." Roslin took her daughter's hand in hers and walked over to Dee. "Would you please find her something for dinner?"

Dee looked over at the admiral, who nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Roslin hugged Evie securely and then kissed the top of her head before letting her leave with Dee and turning back to the viewscreen. "General, we will meet you in docking bay."

_And I will see my dream come alive at last  
I will touch the sky_

Half an hour later, General Mason and Lieutenant Red exited the shuttlecraft and were greeted by the admiral and the president. "Welcome to _Galactica_," Adama began.

Mason carried a small circular device that resembled a makeup compact. "_This is a dual conversion linguistic modifier. Basically it lets me understand what you say and vice versa_."

"Do you use those often on Earth?" Roslin inquired.

"_Yes. We are one planet with many different nations and varying languages_," Mason explained briefly.

_And they're not gonna hold me down no more  
No they're not gonna change my mind_

Roslin led the general and the lieutenant through the corridors while Adama followed behind them, noticing that every once in a while the general would subtly touch the wall. The president and the admiral both added comments on the walking tour as she led the way to his quarters. Once inside, he gestured toward the couch after closing the hatch. "Have a seat. We thought it might be better to conduct a meeting of this sort in a more comfortable environment."

The guests sat on the couch. "_I quite agree. Thank you for your hospitality. Before this meeting goes any further though, what is your stance on the S.O.A.s aboard your ship_?" Mason questioned.

Adama and Roslin exchanged perplexed glances. "I'm sorry. I don't believe we've heard of those."

"_You probably call them something else. S.O.A. stands for Sentient Organic Android. We scanned your ship and detected nine of them, two very faint. Are you in an alliance with them_?" she asked.

"Definitely not. They are the reason why we had to leave our homes," Roslin told Mason. The statement was surprising to the general and she wondered if she had heard the president correctly.

"We call them Cylons. They nuked the twelve worlds we were living on. You said you counted nine of them here?" the admiral inquired.

Mason nodded. "_Two were very faint though_."

"Those are probably the hybrids," Roslin suggested.

The general's eyes widened. "_Those things can breed_?"

"They can have children with humans, yes," Adama replied.

"_If they are your enemies, why are they on your ship_?" Mason probed.

The admiral sat back and sighed. "Four of them did not know what they were until recently, the hybrids are only children, one has chosen our side and proven herself trustworthy, and one is a prisoner in our brig. How did you come in contact with them?"

_'Cause I've got faith of the heart  
I'm going where my heart will take me  
I've got faith to believe  
I can do anything_

Mason glanced at Red, who handed her the manila folder she had been holding. The general opened it to a report and photos to explain the incident. "_We wondered what we had found when our scanners showed them to be both mechanical and organic. A big ship of theirs found eight of ours one day. They tried to break into the computer system, but we've been dealing with technological hackers for many years. Our fire walls kept them out long enough for us to stop them. We disabled them and then boarded the ship, amazed at what we found. It was jarring to see machines that looked like us. We captured some of them and brought them in for questioning. However, not long after we were physically in the same room as them, they all became ill_."

"So they haven't invaded Earth?" Roslin probed.

_I've got strength of the soul  
And no one's gonna bend or break me  
I can reach any star  
I've got faith, I've got faith, faith of the heart_

The general smirked. "_They might want to, but if they get too close to it, they contract some sort of disease and die from it_."

"Is there any chance that we could get our people over to Earth?" Adama questioned.

Mason folded her hands and sat forward. "_Just how many people are we talking_?"

"Over forty thousand refugees," the admiral mentioned.

Red whistled. Mason took a deep breath. He had definitely told her 'over forty thousand.' "_I'll have to speak with my government. I want to help you, but I don't know exactly what your options will be_."

"That's very kind of you. Tell me, did your people happen to develop any weapons to use against the Cy- S.O.A.s?" Roslin asked.

Mason looked at the lieutenant next to her. "_We don't have anything aside from the usual regarding ship defense, but on the computer level we've developed a program that sends a computer virus their way when they try to break into our systems_."

"Sort of like the shock of an electric fence," Adama assessed.

"Would it be alright if the rest of our fleet were to join us?" Roslin requested.

Mason looked from one to the other and back. "_Madame President, I don't mean to alarm either of you, but recent scans show that S.O.A.s might be in this area within the next few days. If I may make a tactical suggestion, you shouldn't have your whole fleet in one place. If you're outgunned at the moment, I can offer you five locations to which parts of your fleet could stay temporarily, protected by our ships_."

"That's quite an offer," Roslin commented.

"_Let's just say that there are more threats out here than S.O.A.s and if you go to where I've sent you, you'll be much safer_," Mason explained.

The admiral raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything else we should know about?"

Mason faced him calmly. "_If a man by the name of General Edward Mason tries to contact you, avoid him. He's… a relation of sorts and is only out for his own gain. He won't hesitate to exploit you or the vulnerability of your situation_."

"Thanks for the warning," Adama stated.

Mason and Red stood, preparing to leave. However, as the general stood, her hand quickly found the back of the couch as the room spun briefly. "Are you alright, General?" Roslin probed.

_I know that we're so cold  
We've seen the darkest days_

The other woman put a hand up dismissively. "_I'm fine. It's something I haven't had time to see my own ship's doctor about_."

"Then I insist you see mine before we let you go back. The last thing we want to cause is some sort of interstellar incident," Adama remarked.

Mason faced him with every intention of arguing, but something in the look he was giving her told her that it would be a futile effort. She sighed resolutely. "_I suppose_." Then she looked at Red. "_Lieutenant, while I'm indisposed, perhaps they can tell you more about the S.O.A.s_."

Adama gave Mason a brief tour as he led her to Life Station. She studied the white-haired older man who greeted them gruffly. "We make first contact and already we've got injuries," Cottle grumbled.

The admiral smirked and shook his head. "Nobody's starting fights. She just needs a little medical attention. She doesn't speak our language, but she's got some sort of translation device with her."

Cottle glanced at the woman and then back to Adama. "So you're leaving it up to me not to cause a diplomatic problem? Alright, let's see what we've got."

Adama turned back to Mason. "This is Major Cottle, our main doctor. He'll call me when he's finished seeing to your needs."

"_Since I'm here reluctantly, I suppose that will have to do_," she remarked, holding the translation device.

The admiral left, heading back to his quarters where Roslin waited. She looked up when he walked in. "Cottle wasn't too pleased to have an interstellar patient, and she seemed equally reluctant," Adama mentioned.

"Sounds like things could get interesting," she commented. "What do you make of her?"

Adama sat down on the couch while Roslin perched on the edge of the desk. "She's fortunately not like Cain, but she's as uptight as a person can get and she's incredibly stubborn."

Roslin smirked and girlishly twirled one of his pencils around her fingers. "That's what happens with women in power."

He frowned, but then grinned back at her teasing comment. "You're not uptight."

"Not lately," she commented wryly.

She has a ship to run and doesn't want to show any weaknesses. I'm surprised that they've already encountered the Cylons."

_But now the winds I feel  
Are only winds of change_

"She called them sentient organic androids. It's actually more descriptive than our word," he stated.

Sighing, Roslin paced the room with her shoes off. "That brings us back to our other problems. We've got four new Cylons to be watched. I will not trust Tory to watch Evie again."

He nodded with understanding. "We definitely have a problem. I don't know how much I should be trusting Saul with, but I need to trust him because he's my XO. Your idea about having a guard watching them is probably the most practical solution, but I still don't like it."

_I've been through the fire  
I've been through the rain  
But I'll be flying, oh yeah_

She decided that the two of them could use glasses of water and disappeared into the kitchen, returning momentarily. "It's been a long day," she remarked.

Smiling politely he accepted the glass, his fingers brushing hers. "Thank you. Yes, it has. I wish we had the general's ability to scan for Cylons."

"Perhaps she would share her scanning technology with us," Roslin suggested. "What do you think of her plan to split up the fleet?"

_'Cause I've got faith of the heart  
I'm going where my heart will take me  
I've got faith to believe  
I can do anything_

He took a gulp of water. "I can see the logic behind it, not leaving everything in one place to get attacked, but I'm not so sure that it would be advisable for us. Five different groups is too many to manage well with only one Battlestar. There's that, and I don't know if we can trust her yet."

"I agree. Though our finding her ship coincides with what Evie told us, I want to make absolutely certain that these people are from Earth and not some new Cylon trap. She seemed too certain that the Cylons couldn't cause anymore trouble in this part of space," Roslin mentioned.

_I've got strength of the soul  
And no one's gonna bend or break me  
I can reach any star  
I've got faith, I've got faith, faith of the heart_

"It could be her limited dealings with them. She did say that it was only one ship," he reminded.

"I'm still finding it hard to believe that they're dying," she stated.

_I've got faith, I've got faith_

"Once we catch Baltar, we can ask him about it," Adama pointed out. "Speaking of which, we should get back to CIC and find out if they've caught him yet." She nodded and they walked through the hatch into the corridor.

_It's been a long road_

(My thanks to max72, miss mcGonagle, Tchi, and caramelapples for reviewing :D)


	23. Gaining perspective

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Strange and Beautiful" is by Aqualung from monsie09's montage.

Chapter 23: Gaining perspective

After Adama had left Life Station, the doctor stood in front of her. "So what's the problem?"

"_I really don't have time for this_," she muttered.

_I've been watching your world from afar,_

Cottle's brow furrowed. "That wasn't what I asked. The admiral brought you here trying to be nice. Now, what's the problem?" She looked him squarely in the eyes after sitting on the bed, making a challenge. "Neither one of us has time for a staring contest," he told her.

_I've been trying to be where you are, _

She harrumphed. "_I've been feeling dizzy. It's probably just old age_."

"You let me be the doctor, young lady," Cottle advised.

Mason turned and glared at him incredulously. "_I haven't been called 'young lady' since my first day on a space ship_."

"It's just a habit of mine. You have got to be one of the most stubborn patients I've ever had," he stated. He ran through standard checkup procedures, but stopped as he used a cylindrical tool to examine her ears. "Have you had any hearing loss lately?"

"_Yes. I thought I was just getting old_," she replied.

_And I've been secretly falling apart,_

_I'll see._

He huffed and shook his head. "You have an inner-ear infection. Young lady, what in the sam-hell were you doing, going up in space with one of those?"

Her lips tightened to a sharp line. "_I didn't have time before we left Earth to have anything looked at_."

"Make time. Commanding officers are all the same, no matter what side of the galaxy they're from. You have to take better care of yourself," he scolded. "I've got some eardrops if you'll turn your head." She did so reluctantly as he squeezed the antibiotics in her right ear, then placed a cotton ball over it. "That'll help the infection. I can't say as much for the attitude."

She crossed her arms and glared at him, her steel-gray eyes shooting daggers. "_I am a Major General who is supposed to be capable of handling First Contact missions, on a ship with a faulty language database. Half my crew is new to the job on this voyage! I end up feeling a little dizzy and they think you're either senile or dying. And, I have a psychotic, egotistical brother who would rather see a war than let me handle anything_!"

Since she was venting, he suddenly felt the need to do likewise and glared back at her. "You think you've got it bad, listen to this. I'm supposed to be retired; hell half the people running things should've retired, even this Battlestar should've retired, but we had a war to face! I've been working with limited supplies since day one because it's all we've got. I've had to deal with stubborn, ornery patience who don't even bother to say 'thank you.' I'm supposed to know how to fix everything. I can't even get proper help half the time! And to top it all off, I ran out of cigarettes yesterday!"

_To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,_

After his oration, he took a deep breath and sat down on the bed next to her. They studied each other with an almost intellectual regard. Then she put her hands up in surrender and smirked. "_You win_."

He snorted. "So you've got a sense of humor after all."

_You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,_

"_Most people do, and smoking is really terrible for you. My people don't smoke anymore_," she told him.

Wide-eyed, he asked her, "So what do they do?"

_You turn every head but you don't see me._

"_Crossword puzzles_," she replied seriously. After a pause, a mischievous grin spread across her face.

It began as a snicker, but then the doctor laughed as he had not done so in years. "Young lady, if I had to do crossword puzzles, I'd end up smoking twice as much!"

She laughed with him in the moment's reprieve from work and other worries. "_I believe I owe you an apology, Major Cottle_," she commented.

He handed her the ear drops and a few cotton balls. "I've had worse patients. Put these in that ear every six hours."

"_Thank you. I'll see what we can do about trading for better medical supplies_," she commented. "_What have you been eating out here_?"

"That's the good part," he said sardonically. "We've been stuck with algae paste because our food supplies went bad."

"_All of the refugees_?" she inquired.

"Yep," he responded. "I need to call the admiral and tell him you're done here."

"_Thank you, and I'll see what we can do to help your food situation_," she remarked.

After he had made the call, he came back to her. "You want to know what I miss most?"

_I'll put a spell on you,_

"_A good cigar_?" she teased.

He grinned and shook his head. "I miss the mountains, and all the trees and creatures that come with theme. Got snowed in once, years ago. Had to dig myself out, but I don't even mind snow."

"_We've got a few of those. I want to help your people, but I can only do so much_," she stated, to which he nodded with understanding. "_I suppose you chose to dig yourself out so you weren't stuck doing crossword puzzles waiting for help_."

_You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you_

He laughed heartily and again she joined him. That was how Adama found them, laughing together. Baltar had evaded them and was on the loose. Tigh and a security team had gone in search of him. Adama rubbed the bridge of his nose, debating whether or not to ask them about it. Finally he stepped toward them and they regained their composure, noticing him. "_Admiral, I believe we should set up some sort of trade before I return to my ship_," she paused and looked directly at Cottle, "_you seem to be in need of medical supplies_."

"That's very generous of you," Cottle responded with a small smile. Then he cleared his throat and his gruff exterior returned. "Now get the hell out of my sight so someone can have that bed who needs it."

_And when I wake you,_

She nodded and began to walk off with the admiral. She turned though as she was leaving to call back, "_And how many crossword puzzles did you want me to send_?"

"Shoo!" the doctor growled, but he was smiling as he said it.

_I'll be the first thing you see,_

Adama looked at her with amazement as they walked, but decided not to say what was on his mind. Before she left, the admiral and the president told Mason that they were unsure if splitting the fleet into five groups was genuinely their best plan. The DRADIS confirmed that for now, the rest of the fleet could join _Galactica_ while Mason devised a trade strategy.

Before speaking to her government, she wanted to send them a few supplies. She held the inventory list in her hand as she inspected what they would send them in the cargo bay. One of the other officers then approached her with a small box. "_Sir, why are we sending these_?"

"_Because it's one of the medical supplies that they are short on_," she answered. She smiled inwardly, wondering how he would react to the box of nicotine patches that she was sending him.

_And you'll realize that you love me._

Their part being finished for the day, Adama and Roslin headed to his quarters after picking Evie up from Dee. The two of them ordered algae noodles. Evie, having already eaten, had several questions for them. "Mommy, who were those people we talked to? Are we going to Earth? What's going to happen?"

_Yeah...  
Yeah..._

Roslin smiled at the girl's curiosity. "There is a great deal that we don't know yet, sweetie. We think that those people are from Earth and we hope that they will help us get there. Did Mrs. Dee find you dinner?"

"Yes, Mommy. And we made this," she paused and showed her an intricately folded paper airplane. "It's a paper Viper."

_Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,_

"It looks like one," Roslin remarked politely.

"Have you tried to fly it?" Adama asked, seating himself on the other end of the couch.

Evie nodded emphatically as she hopped off the couch. "Yeah. It flies really good."

"'Really well,'" Roslin corrected as the girl threw the plane. It flew in a curving motion and landed on the admiral's desk.

_Sometimes, the first thing you want never comes,_

"It sure does," he said with a grin.

Evie played with her paper airplane while Roslin and Adama ate their algae noodles. "You're not going to believe what happened in Life Station when I came back for the general," Adama began.

_And I know, the waiting is all you can do,  
Sometimes..._

Roslin raised an eyebrow as she twisted the green noodles onto her fork. "Does it have anything to do with the good mood she was in after her visit?"

_I'll put a spell on you,_

"She was joking with Jack, something about crossword puzzles. It's been years since I've seen him laugh like that. And she seemed to be enjoying herself," the admiral remarked.

_You'll fall asleep,  
I'll put a spell on you,_

"Wonders never cease," she added with a smirk.

Having finished dinner, he gathered their bowls as he stood to leave. "Where are you going?" Roslin questioned, following him to the hatch.

_And when I wake you,  
I'll be the first thing you see,_

"I need to finish things with Lee," he stated.

She leaned up and kissed him warmly. "In that case, good luck," she told him.

He pulled her to him for a hug. "Will you be here when I get back?"

Feeling the rumble of his voice as he asked her, she looked up into his eyes and thought for a moment. "Yes," she responded with a calm smile. He left and she read a story to Evie.

The girl yawned halfway through. "It sounds like it's bedtime for somebody," Roslin commented, kissing the top of her daughter's head.

"Mommy, where'd Bill go?" she asked, leaning on her mother as her eyes drooped.

"He went to have a talk with his son," Roslin explained, hoping that for his sake, his son would be willing to talk.

_And you'll realize that you love me._

(I prormise there is more of Evie in the next chapter. My thanks to miss mcGonagle, LilStrawbaby, caramelapples, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	24. Family matters

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "I Will Follow Him" from Sister Act I soundtrack, montage by geebersjen, though I've abridged it. Some of the descriptions from the _Odyssey_ are based on Star Trek ships, as well as some of its technology.

Chapter 24: Family matters

Adama entered the brig quietly, noticing that the clone resembling Kara was sleeping blissfully. He found Lee slumped over, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. The father in him hurt to see his son suffer. He cleared his throat and Lee looked up. "Walk with me," he whispered as he opened the cell door.

The younger man quietly followed him out into the corridor. "You're letting me go, sir?"

"We need to talk about a few things first," Adama mentioned as they walked through the quiet hallways.

"I don't know what to say about Kara. I was so sure…" Lee trailed off.

"We all were," Adama added. "We met with a ship today, from Earth. They seem to be wiling to help us, but they want me to split the fleet into five groups."

"And you need your CAG back," his son assessed.

The admiral sighed heavily. "No, I need my son back."

They stopped walking and faced each other. "Dad, about the trial, gods if I'd known he was going to drag Evie out like that, I'd never have let him do it. I'm so sorry about that."

"And the president?" Adama drilled.

Lee swallowed hard. "I owe her a personal apology. I was trying to find an advantage for the defense and she was exploited because I wanted to look like a world-class lawyer, having found something to dig out."

Adama blinked and looked away, pausing before telling his son. "Baltar's been in contact with the Cylons. I'm telling you this in case he considers you an ally. We tried to track him down earlier when we traced the signal, but he's disappeared. I'm telling you this because I want you to play double agent if he does talk to you."

"Just because I thought it was wrong to execute him for things that weren't his doing doesn't mean I'm his friend," Lee refuted.

His father decided to shift the conversation. "I was wrong to say you didn't have any integrity."

Lee looked him in the eyes, regret written on his face. "And I was wrong to yell at you for questioning mine. You were defending something that could hurt both of them, and because of my stupidity, the whole fleet found out."

"What's done is done. We need to move on and take care of other business now," Adama remarked.

"I just want to say I'm sorry. I don't know if Dee could even forgive me, let alone Roslin," Lee commented.

"You need to talk with her in the morning. Come by my quarters and I'll have her stop by," Adama offered.

"Thanks, I'd like that," Lee responded.

"Would you like your job back too?" Adama inquired.

Lee hung his head. "I don't deserve it."

His father reached into his pocket to pull out the rank pins. "Let's just say that as you pointed out in the trial, lots of people who don't deserve it have been forgiven."

Lee's eyes widened. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll take the job," the admiral finished. Lee nodded and Adama handed him the pins. Lee would be staying in his old quarters for the evening.

As Adama turned the handle to his own quarters, he was met by Roslin who pressed a finger to her lips as she motioned for him to step inside with her other hand. "Shh, Evie's asleep on the couch."

Adama led her over to the kitchen, passing the girl as she slept peacefully holding her bear, tucked in with a blanket and pillow. "Why did you leave her on the couch?" he whispered.

_I will follow Him_

"I was figuring on going back to _Colonial One_ when you came back and if you were tired, I didn't want to kick you out of your bed two nights in a row," she answered quietly. "How did things go with Lee?"

He was not planning on letting her leave and decided on a tactical maneuver. He gestured for her to turn around. She raised her eyebrow, but did so. Then he moved her hair aside and began massaging her neck and shoulders. "You're a mind-reader," he heard her mutter.

_Follow Him wherever He may go,_

"I just had a hunch," he responded. Then he picked up their other conversation. "Lee wants to apologize to you personally. He genuinely didn't know that Lampkin was going to use Evie. He realizes that when he questioned you it was a power trip and he really is sorry."

"What about Dee?" Roslin reminded, relaxing into his touch.

"He wants to talk to her tomorrow. I said I'd bring her here. With what General Mason proposed with the fleet, I need to trust him to give him his job back," Adama relayed.

Roslin could see Evie from where they stood. "And you miss your son," she deduced.

"Very much," he admitted.

_And near Him, I always will be_

She began to pull away from him. "I really should be heading back to my ship."

One of his hands slid down to gently grasp her elbow. "It's late," his voice rumbled.

"Bill, I can't… it's just," she could not formulate the words to tell him that no matter how badly she wanted to stay, she needed to return to her own ship or people would become suspicious.

Her hair was still on her left shoulder. He moved his hand from her elbow, wrapping his left arm around her waist. She shivered as his lips touched her neck. "Stay," he rasped.

_For nothing can keep me away,_

His lips crashed into hers as she turned abruptly to face him. She rested her forehead against his and mentioned, "Evie's on the couch."

"We'll just sleep," he answered her unvoiced question.

_He is my destiny._

He slept in his boxers and tanks, loaning her a long shirt that he had not worn in years so that her clothes would not be wrinkled. Roslin's mind was still processing the events of the day. Sleep came eventually, but not before she smiled because he was holding her in his sleep.

_Roslin found herself in the opera house again, but this time Athena was walking past her, holding Hera. "Don't I need to protect Hera?" Roslin asked, figuring that this should be like all the other times._

_ Athena shook her head. "I've got Hera. You need to protect her," she responded, looking over at Evie._

_ The other woman walked over and scooped the girl up into her arms. "Protect her from what?" she asked Athena._

_ Evie answered. "Mommy, the shiny men are coming."_

_ Roslin looked past Evie to where Cylons walked toward them, led by Baltar._

In the morning, she stirred, feeling well-rested. Her movement woke him and they sat up together. "I'm making a bad habit of sleeping over," she commented with a smirk.

He kissed her softly. "No, you make a bad habit of leaving."

She giggled and shook her head. "You are awfully persuasive when you want to be. I had a dream again though, so I need to get dressed before Evie wanders in here."

_I will follow Him,_

As he nodded, she quickly scurried out of his bed toward the bathroom, clothes draped over her arms. He dressed and, as predicted, Evie walked in a few minutes later. "I had a nightmare again," she told him with a yawn.

"What about?" he asked her, walking out to the couch with her.

"The shiny men are coming. I think they want me," she decided.

He seated himself on the couch and she crawled up into his lap. "Do you know why they might be after you?"

"No," she answered, her little face frowning.

He hugged her securely. "Nobody's going to get you. I promise we'll keep you safe," he told her.

Roslin emerged from the bathroom in her dress suite, having taken a quick shower. "What's wrong?" she asked, eyeing the two with concern.

"The shiny men are after me," Evie explained, leaving Adama's arms for her mother's embrace.

"We promise that nothing's going to get you," Roslin whispered.

Adama left the room to take a quick shower also while the other two made breakfast. Adding a little flower, the right spices, and twisting the algae into the shape that she wanted, Roslin was able to make cinnamon rolls. Evie finished her breakfast quickly and left to play with her paper Viper again.

_Ever since He touched my heart I knew,_

"You said you had a dream too," Adama recalled.

The president nodded. "Baltar's behind this Cylon business and he's in it up to his ears. We have to find him."

"I don't think he wants anything to do with that blonde Cylon anymore. We've had a guard outside watching for him and he seems to be avoiding her," Adama mentioned.

In that moment, Roslin remembered something and looked up suddenly. "We've got a problem."

"What do you mean?" he asked with worry.

She took a deep breath and faced him. "General Mason said that they found nine Cylons."

"Yes, and we know that-" she put a hand on top of his to stop him.

"We only know of eight. There are two hybrids, four new suspected Cylons, Athena, and the blonde Cylon. That makes eight," she explained.

He sighed heavily. "Which means that we've got an extra one somewhere. That could be anyone."

"All the more reason to be cautious. I think it would be best if Dee looks after Evie today. I don't think Miss Porter is a Cylon, but I really don't want to take a chance like that, not until we find out the truth," Roslin expressed, standing to clean up their plates.

Adama cleared his throat. "Actually Lee and Dee are supposed to be here soon to talk things out. What are you doing today?"

"I have a meeting with the Quorum, as well as five other meetings with civilian committees. I can't expect her to sit through those," Roslin relayed.

The admiral sighed as he watched the girl. "I suppose she'll have to come with me for a while then."

_There isn't an ocean too deep,_

"I'm sorry. I know you'd rather not have her in CIC, but there isn't much we can do at the moment," she expressed.

"You're right, no need to be sorry. I'm going to get an earful from Saul, but maybe Evie would like a brief tour of everything," he said with a small smile.

Roslin walked over to her daughter. "Sweetie, I'm going to leave for a while to do some work."

The girl looked up. "Does that mean I go to day care today?"

"Today you'll be with Bill for a while," Roslin answered, opening the hatch to leave.

_A mountain so high it can keep,_

"Yay!" Evie beamed.

The president hugged Evie and told her goodbye before facing the admiral. "I'll call you later."

"Laura," he began, taking her hands in his. "What are you doing for dinner tonight?"

She smiled girlishly. "I'm eating with you and Evie."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently. "See you then."

_Keep me away, away from His love._

"You certainly will," she teased, kissing him back. The sound of someone clearing his throat startled them and they jumped apart.

Lee had arrived and stepped closer, noticing that the hatch was open. He had not planned on finding them 'playing house.' He was as mortified at what he overheard as well as what he saw, but decided for the sake of staying out of the brig to say nothing about it. "Admiral, Madame President, I owe you both an apology for my behavior regarding the trial. I'm sorry for being a jerk, and I'm sorry that my search for some sense of accomplishment hurt you, Madame President. And I never, never intended for that lawyer to bring your daughter into it. I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but I am truly sorry."

Roslin looked down at her hands for a moment. Slowly she faced Lee. His crystal-blue eyes held sincere regret. Adama watched his son stoically. After another pause, she spoke. "Mr. Adama, I thank you for your apology. Some things are going to take time. I accept your apology, but its going to be a while before I can forgive you, excuse me," she stated as she left.

"Dad I…" he faltered.

"I know. It's just going to take some time," the admiral finished. Lee seated himself on the couch while his father continued to watch the door.

Dee walked up a moment later and he hugged her as she entered. "I'll watch Evie after-" she began.

"Of course," Adama replied.

The woman took a deep breath and glanced over at Lee, who stood practically at attention. She glanced back at Adama and he saw the hesitation in her eyes. He gave her a calm smile and she nodded. Then she took two steps toward her husband. "How could you?" she asked softly.

Lee swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry. The whole thing just got out of hand."

Adama did not hear any more of the conversation because he and Evie left for CIC. "Is Mr. Lee in trouble?" Evie inquired.

"Sort of," the admiral replied.

_I love Him, I love Him, I love Him,_

Seeing as it would be impossible for her to keep up with him at her size, he decided to carry her. "Mrs. Dee said you used to fly a Viper."

_And where He goes,_

He nodded. "That's right, a long time ago."

"What's it like?" she questioned. He grinned at the curious glow in her eyes.

It took him a moment to figure out how to explain something of that sort to a three-year-old. "You sit inside where the controls are. You also wear a helmet. You move fast and everything shakes around you sometimes."

"Is it scary?" she probed.

"It can be, but it's also exciting because you get to see the stars and fly your ship with other ships," he mentioned.

"Oh," she stated. Then a big grin spread across her face. "I wanna fly a Viper too!"

_I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow._

_Oh no, Laura's never going to let me hear the end of this one_, he mused. "You'll have to talk to your mother about that when you're older, much older," he relayed as they entered CIC.

Tigh eyed them curiously. "Has our president instituted a mandatory day care policy that I missed?" he teased.

Adama glared at him, but then smirked. "Nope. Things just got a little overbooked, so this one's here for a while today."

_he'll always be my true love, my true love, my true love_

He had yet to set Evie down and her eyes scanned every detail of the room from the consoles to the people behind them. "What's that?" she asked, pointing up to the DRADIS.

"It tells me what ships are in the area," he relayed.

She looked at the table with interest. "Why does that table have ships on it?"

"I use it to plan where the bigger ships will go," the admiral explained briefly.

"Can I play with them?" she requested.

Adama did not see any harm in it, so he set her on the floor and handed her a few ship models. Tigh handed him several reports. As he was looking over them, the colonel stepped closer. "My mistake. Looks more like it's 'take your daughter to work day,'" Tigh whispered, goading him.

_from now until forever, forever, forever_

_I still don't get how he could be a Cylon. He sounds like he always does_, Adama thought to himself as he gave his friend a half-smile and shook his head. Later his phone rang. "Adama."

"Hi. How is everything?" Roslin asked on the other line.

Adama glanced over at Evie, who had ships in her hands, flying them around the small area to the left of the table. "Everything's fine. Don't tell me you've already finished your meetings?"

_I will follow Him,_

"I wish. The one with the Quorum ended and I thought I'd call you while I'm on a bit of a break. Tory finally showed up for work, so now I know what I'm supposed to be doing and where," she remarked.

"I suppose that's a relief," he added.

"She keeps getting annoyed at the marine watching her though. Could I speak to Evie? Is she still with you?" Roslin inquired.

_Follow Him wherever He may go,_

"Sure," he told her. Then he looked over at the girl. "Evie, your mother wants to speak with you."

She set the ships on the floor and stood, walking toward where he held the phone out to her. "Hi, Mommy!" she exclaimed.

Roslin smiled on her end. "Hi sweetie. How are you?"

"Fine, Mommy. When I grow up, I wanna fly a Viper!" she conveyed.

"Sweetie, would you please hand the phone back to Bill?" Roslin requested.

Evie said goodbye to her mother and then handed Adama the phone. "Yes?" he asked.

"Bill, what have you been telling her?" Roslin asked, irritation in her voice.

Tigh noticed as he cringed. "She asked me what flying one of them was like. I told her, then when she mentioned wanting to try it, I told her to ask you when she's older," Adama reiterated.

"Alright, you're off the hook for now, but I don't want her in or near one of those things," Roslin instructed.

_There isn't an ocean too deep,_

"Yes, Madame President," Adama replied.

Roslin giggled on the other end. "You sound like one of my students that I've given warnings to. I want you to know that I really do appreciate you watching her, Bill. When she's with you, I know she's safe."

He smiled. "You're welcome, Laura. She's really not as much trouble here as I thought she might be. She just asked questions, and then she found the ship models and she's playing with those."

_A mountain so high it can keep,_

"That's good. I hate to throw business in like this, but I think we should ask the blonde Cylon about Baltar again," Roslin suggested.

"Give me a call and I'll meet you over there," Adama told her. Then both sides hung up. Dee called a short while later and told the admiral that she was ready to watch Evie.

He brought her back to his quarters, not surprised to find that Lee had already left. "He's gone back to his quarters, sir," Dee explained, smiling when she saw Evie.

"How did it go?" Adama asked.

"Better than I thought. We're going to give it another try. I didn't want to tell him about the baby yet. I thought we'd take it one step at a time," she relayed.

_Keep me away, away from His love..._

"Probably a good idea," Adama responded. "He doesn't do well when he gets overwhelmed.

Later he and Roslin met outside of the brig to speak with the blonde Cylon. "I expected this, the two of you coming here again. What do you want?" she asked.

Adama let Laura interrogate Six. "Has Baltar been by at all to see you?"

"Is there a reason you ask me questions you know the answer to? He's been avoiding me," she mentioned.

"Why has he been telling the Cylons where we are?" Roslin demanded evenly.

Six stood and walked toward the bars. "I don't know-"

"What does he want with my daughter?" she asked sharply, the politician slipping for a second.

The blonde Cylon studied her challenger and considered her options. "The truth, if you want to believe me, is that when we created her, something happened that we did not plan on. Your abilities as the prophetess were amplified in her. And it's not Baltar himself that you need to worry about. I was not aware until recently that they'd done it, but he really isn't himself. I can't sense him in the same way I used to. The same device that gave both clones their memories has the potential to give someone subliminal orders."

Adama felt the need to question her. "So you're telling us that they've somehow programmed Baltar to do their bidding?"

_We will follow Him,_

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she replied.

"Then why, if you already know where Earth is, do you need the girl?" he probed.

_Follow Him wherever He may go,_

"Because those that have reached this part of space don't come back. When we die from the illness, it's Final Death and there is no resurrection. I believe they want the girl because she knows the way to Earth, but she can also sense them. If you let me out, I promise you I will find Gaius for you," she offered.

_There isn't an ocean too deep,_

Roslin was about to tell her to shove her plan out an airlock, but Adama spoke first. "You will have guards with you, watching you. Can you deal with that?"

_A mountain so high it can keep,_

"Yes," she replied promptly.

"We'll consider this idea," he stated, ushering Roslin out of the room.

When they were back in the corridor, Roslin glared at him. "I can't believe you would even suggest that we let her out!"

_Keep us away, away from His love..._

"Do you have a better idea for finding Baltar?" he stated.

Roslin crossed her arms. "I don't like it at all."

"Neither do I, but right now I think if what she says is true, then Baltar is more dangerous than she is," Adama mentioned.

The president glanced at her watch. "I have to go meet with a few of the Tauron delegates. We will finish this later," she remarked.

"Are you going to stay mad at me all day?" he challenged.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Admiral, you should have learned by now that I can't possibly stay mad at you for long. I'm just going to have some trouble digesting this recent plan of yours." As she turned to leave, he kissed her on the cheek. At first she glared at him, worried that someone had seen them, but then smiled back.

While Adama and Roslin debated how to find Baltar, General Mason attempted to contact her government. Though a Spartan room with only a desk, a sofa, and a window, the cream walls held two shelves of classic literature and a few tin sculptures of mountain scenes that had captured her interest. She sat in her office, watching the line near the other end of her desk as she pressed a few buttons on her built-in console. Her mini-viewscreen rose from the line. Then she entered her access codes and dialed the person whom she wanted to reach.

The pudgy bearded face of President Richard Cormac appeared on the screen. He had not realized that someone was calling him as he combed his dead-leaf-brown hair over his bald spot. Mason cleared her throat and he suddenly looked alert. "_General Mason, to what do I owe the pleasure_?"

She sat back in her chair, folding her hands. "_Mr. President, we've made first contact with other humans_," she began. As she went into further detail, he shifted his position every few minutes. "_I think we should give them aide. Their supplies are pitiful and they've been eating algae paste_," she attempted to persuade him.

Cormac frowned and found the wall in his own office very interesting as he spoke. "_I'm not sure if we can really spare the resources at the moment. Really, forty thousand people is not just a few colonists." Then he turned his attention back to her. "What makes you so sure we can trust them_?"

"_We've scanned their vessels and it's at least a good century behind ours, if not more. Also, they seem just as reluctant to trust us. They're either all excellent actors, or it's legitimate_," Mason remarked.

"_Are you sure we haven't found another ship full of S.O.A.'s_?" he probed.

"_We did pick up a few signals, but these people are aware of them. Apparently the S.O.A.s destroyed their worlds. They say they're from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and that Earth is where the thirteenth colony went. I thing that part of it is a bit far-fetched, but they are definitely enemies of the S.O.A.s_," she informed him.

Cormac pushed his chair back and stared up at the ceiling in thought for a moment. Mason could not help tapping her fingers against the desk as she waited for his response. "_Deidre, I have to go to the World Congress or this sort of thing_," he said finally. "_We just can't handle this right now. With the civil unrest on Mars and it being an election year, I can't see how we can help these people_."

Mason took a deep breath and closed her eyes to maintain her civility. "_Rick_," she began evenly, "_I think we have bigger things to worry about than your pole results. If these people are right and S.O.A.s are following them, then we had darn well better be prepared_."

"_I'm not worried about those. Your brother sent me some interesting test results on his prisoner that will help in stopping them permanently_," Cormac relayed.

The general stared at him, wide-eyed. "_Mr. President, you know how unethical and unpredictable Edward Mason is! With all due respect sir, he would see us at war if it was a personal gain for him_."

"_My dear Deidre, you do not understand politics. He remains on our payroll because he is unethical. He does the dirty work so people like you can keep your hands clean and make harsh judgments_," Cormac retorted.

"_And you're the only one he talks to. I'm surprised your vice president hasn't scolded you. Rick, he really isn't trustworthy_," Mason attempted to persuade him.

"_Vivian Mendoza doesn't know. Now, enough of this nonsense. I have to plan for a press conference regarding the Mars situation_," he tried to change the subject.

"_But there are only a thousand people on Mars! Wait, with the terraforming of Mars completed, it could support more people, a lot more people. Rick, these people I've met have a government and a military. Being forty thousand, they could settle on Mars and take care of your civil unrest for you_," Mason suggested.

He looked straight at the screen. "_That might actually be worth considering, after the election_," he stated before he turned off his screen.

"_That bureaucratic pain in the_-" a low tone interrupted her muttering. "_Come in_."

Colonel Chang stepped into the room to hand her the day's scans. "_Galactica has received the medical supplies_," he relayed.

"_Thank you, Colonel. Was there anything else_?" she inquired.

"_I know you spoke with the president today. How did it go_?" Chang questioned.

Mason stood and began to pace the room. "_He was his usual bureaucratic self. He doesn't want to do anything because it's an election year. The only good news is that he might consider letting them stay on Mars_."

"_Do you really think we can trust them_?" Chang probed.

She took a deep breath and stopped pacing at her desk, leaning over it with her fingers sprawled out in front of her. "_I just have this feeling in my gut. I've been at this long enough to know when I'm being lied to. Frankly, I'd sooner trust their president than ours at the moment. My brother's on his payroll and they're experimenting on the last S.O.A. prisoner_."

"_What about the possibility of other more advanced ships from our new guests_?" Chang mentioned.

"_Their doctor said something to me that hasn't left my mind: 'I'm supposed to be retired; hell half the people running things should've retired, even this Battlestar should've retired, but we had a war to face.' I don't think it's an act_," Mason relayed.

Chang nodded. "_What did you see their doctor for_?"

"_An inner-ear infection_," she replied bluntly.

The intercom system interrupted their conversation. "_General, sir, Galactica's sickbay is calling you_."

"_Please send the call to my office_," the general requested. Then she looked over at the colonel. "_You have the bridge_."

"_And something tells me you've made a friend_," Chang said with a smirk as he left. She shook her head and sat down to wait for the audio channel to turn on.

Cottle had received the supplies and had listened to her translated instructions a second time before opening the box. "Well I'll be. Woman's more adamant than Roslin," he said aloud, noticing the nicotine patches.

In Mason's office, his voice came through with a small amount of static. "General Mason, I have a box of things you call 'nicotine patches.' Frankly, they don't look much like cigarettes," he grumbled.

She smiled at his grouchiness. "_That's because they're not: the point is to break you of smoking cigarettes_."

"Young lady, I didn't ask to quit smoking!" he retorted.

Snickering, she managed to clear her throat and respond. "_Major Cottle, it would've been much harder for me to find you cigarettes than nicotine patches_."

"You're a stubborn pain in the neck," he growled.

"_Flattery will get you nowhere_," she teased.

She was relieved when she heard him chuckle. "So how's the ear?" he inquired.

"_Much better, thank you. I don't feel like I'm going senile anymore, well, anymore than usual_," she replied.

_There isn't an ocean too deep,_

He snorted. "I want you back here for a check-up soon."

_A mountain so high it can keep,_

She chuckled. "_Of course, and I will find you something better than cigarettes and nicotine patches_," she promised.

_Keep me away, away from His love_

"I'd like to see you try," he stated before ending the transmission. Mason sat back in her chair and smiled. Perhaps the day had not been so bad after all.

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, max72, caramelapples, Ceridwyn2, hadizha, Tchi, and Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


	25. Night of insanity

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. General Alexander Hicock and the rest of the people from Earth are mine also. "You May Be Right" is by Billy Joel.

Chapter 25: Night of insanity

Adama's shift ended in an hour and his mind was on his dinner with Roslin. He watched the DRADIS in CIC as the rest of the fleet appeared. After all of the captains had checked in, Mason called. "_I see the rest of your fleet is here. If you'll follow us, I'll take you to one of our space stations and we might be able to help with your supply problem_," she told him.

"That's definitely appreciated, General," Adama told her.

Mason stood at the railing on her ship, looking with interest at all the ships that appeared against the starry backdrop of space. Chang walked over to her and whispered, "_That's not what the president told you to do, is it?_"

_Friday night I crashed your party_

She turned to him and spoke quietly. "_No, but I'm not going to leave these people to scrap lives together when we can help them. Cormac doesn't have to care because I'm not taking them to Earth_."

_Saturday I said I'm sorry_

"_Aren't we stretching the rules a little_?" Chang pointed out.

Mason looked out at the viewscreen to the other ships as hers began to lead the way. "_It's a loophole. When I first started out in space, I was part of General Hicock's crew. He used to say, 'Sometimes you've got to find the backdoor when it's about survival_.'"

_Sunday came and trashed me out again_

Then she walked over to the pilot, a young man with a mop of black hair. "_Lieutenant, take us to Orion Station_," she ordered.

"_Yes, sir_," he responded.

The other ships followed them as they began what would be a fifteen-hour trip. Thinking back to her conversation with President Cormac, she began pacing nervously. Meeting the colonel's concerned gaze, she took her seat and sighed heavily. Her gut told her that this would turn into a bureaucratic mess, but she had committed herself to the risks and her stubbornness would prevail. Her fingers graces a few buttons and the fleet of their guests came into view. She smiled inwardly at the orderly formation, and at the site of the _Galactica_ leading the fleet. Mason admired tenacity and to her, it was one trait that these newcomers had in abundance.

_I was only having fun  
Wasn't hurting anyone_

Adama took one last look at his viewscreen before heading to his quarters, hoping that Roslin was not upset with him. He found Dee teaching Evie an old Sagittarian folk song. His daughter-in-law smiled at him as he walked in. Evie jumped up from where she had been sitting on the rug and rushed over to give him a hug. "Bill! I can sing!"

_And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change_

"Yes, you can," he told her with a grin as he picked her up, bringing her over to the couch.

"Hello, sir. I hope you don't mind that it wasn't a Caprican song," Dee mentioned.

_I've been stranded in the combat zone_

He smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Divisions like that don't matter out here. What matters is preserving our culture." The two adults discussed folk songs for a while as Evie listened with interest.

_  
I walked through Bedford study alone_

When Dee left twenty minutes later, Roslin entered. "Mommy, I got to play with ships where Bill works. And Mrs. Dee taught me a song," Evie explained as she hugged her mother.

Roslin smiled down at the girl. "I'm glad you had a good day. I had a very long day and I am famished."

_Even rode my motorcycle in the rain_

"What's for dinner?" Evie asked.

The president smirked and looked over at Adama. "Bill and I are going to figure that out," she stated. Adama stood and followed her into the kitchen.

_And you told me not to drive_

"I know you don't like what I suggested regarding the Cylon," he began as they looked for ingredients.

_But I made it home alive_

"I don't trust her. What I can't figure out is why, if Baltar was in love with her like we all thought he was, he hasn't been by to see her yet," Roslin mentioned.

_So you said that only proves that I'm insane_

"If it were anyone other than Baltar, I'd say it was guilt, but as we both know, Baltar doesn't seem to have much of that," Adama added.

Roslin sighed. "She did say that he was programmed. This is just too much to take in."

_You may be right  
I may be crazy_

Adama placed one of his hands over hers. "We will get through this. What I can't believe is that we might finally get some new supplies."

_But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for_

She heard the optimism in his voice and faced him with a grin. "Yes, it's remarkable how far we've come. I never thought about what we would do afterward though."

_Turn out the light_

He added a few spices to the mixture they were working with. "What do you mean?"

_Don't try to save me_

"We've lived one day at a time for so long that I never thought what we would do or how we would live when we reached our destination," she explained.

"You'll live planet-side, up to your neck in politics wherever that will be, wanting to make a good home for our people," he told her with a reassuring smile.

_You may be wrong for all I know  
But you may be right_

He did not understand the look of sadness in her eyes until after she spoke. "Yes, but you'll probably still be up here in space, protecting all of us like last time."

Gently grasping her upper arm, he turned her to face him and their foreheads pressed together. "Not this time. There's this thing called retirement that sounds pretty good. And…" he trailed off, kissing her tenderly, "where you go, I go. I don't pretend that it won't be complicated, but I'm not leaving you and Evie down there by yourselves."

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the intensity with which he looked at her. She kissed him soundly and he held her tightly. As the broke for air, she whispered, "Maybe we'll even find time to build our cabin."

They had made algae quiche for dinner and the three of them talked pleasantly about possibilities. After the meal, Adama and Roslin cleaned up the dishes together. "Laura, what are you doing for tonight?"

She glanced at Evie, watching her color for a moment, before replying. "I think that right now the safest place for her is here. I just don't know how we can keep doing this with

our clothing situation."

"Both of you can leave your clothes with Dee in the guest quarters. That way the press thinks you're staying there," he recommended.

"You know, I think I might actually be able to work with that," she decided.

When it came time to read Evie a bedtime story, they sat on each side of her, one reading the narration and the other reading the dialogue, causing Evie to giggle. Adama gave Roslin and Evie the bed while he took the couch again.

_Remember how I found you there_

What no one had considered was Baltar visiting the Kara clone rather than Six. He had distracted the marines by setting off small firecrackers down the hall that he made from a few cigars and other black market items. As they left their post to investigate the noise, he picked the lock on the door and let himself in. The blonde clone sat up at hearing someone enter.

_Alone in your electric chair_

"What do _you_ want?" she demanded. "And where are the guards?"

_I told you dirty jokes until you smiled_

He sauntered over to the lock on the cell and opened it. "They are no longer of consequence. You have a destiny to fulfill," he told her in an almost monotone vice. He moved as if in a fluidic trance. She wondered for a moment if he was sleepwalking.

_You were lonely for a man_

After opening the cell door, he forcibly grabbed her arm. "What the frak makes you think I'm coming with you?" she spat.

_I said take me as I am_

"Your orders are do fulfill your destiny," he repeated.

'_cause you might enjoy some madness for awhile_

That phrase meant something in the back of her mind. Suddenly her eyes snapped open as flashes from what she had been told to do came into her mind. The girl. The Cylons wanted the girl. Baltar could not do it, so they were asking her. They wanted to find Earth and destroy it. The blonde woman fought against her mind even as Baltar dragged her through the main door and out into the corridor.

_Now think of all the years you tried to_

With a more than human effort, she abruptly grabbed his arm, flipped him forward, and tackled him to the ground. Her programming drilled through her mind, but the will of the woman they had cloned won out. "Guards!" she yelled, knowing that someone would come.

_Find someone to satisfy you_

Two of them rounded the corner, rifles pointed at her. "What are you doing out of the cell?" one demanded.

"This frakking idiot tried to break me out. He's been talking to the Cylons," she explained.

_I might be as crazy as you say_

The guards escorted Baltar to the cell that Lee had occupied and then let the blonde woman return to her cell. A phone call woke Adama from his light sleep on the couch. "Adama," he said as he took the phone.

"Sir, we have Baltar in custody. Apparently he tried to break out Thrace," the marine told him.

_If I'm crazy then it's true_

"Did you ask him why?" the admiral questioned.

"Sir, when we got him into the cell, he turned around and asked where he was. He said that he didn't know what he was doing here," the man relayed.

_That it's all because of you_

"I'll be there in a minute," Adama remarked before hanging up the phone. As he dressed, he noticed that the clock read 0400. He took one last glance at Roslin and Evie as they slept peacefully before he left.

He stood outside of the cells, studying the two people within: Baltar pacing like a caged animal, and the woman who resembled Kara sitting, watching the admiral. Adama walked over to her. "What happened?"

_And you wouldn't want me any other way_

"Sir, he tried to break me out, telling me I had some sort of destiny. What he said triggered something in my mind that I had to fight against. The Cylons want to used the president's clone to find Earth and destroy it," she told him.

_You may be right_

Adama turned his attention to Baltar. "Is this true?" he demanded quietly.

_I may be crazy_

"I don't bloody know! The last thing I remember was going to bed on a cot in a converted closet. Then suddenly I'm back in this cell," he complained.

_But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for_

The admiral tried to deal with Baltar calmly. "Have you had other instances like this where you can't remember how you ended up at certain places?"

_It's too late to fight_

"Yes, and it's rather frustrating. Look Admiral, I know we've had our differences, but do I really have to spend the rest of my existence behind bars?" Baltar pleaded.

_It's too late to change me_

Adama folded his hands and looked at Baltar over the top of his glasses. "The trial's over, so I'm just going to say this now. I should've airlocked you when I had the chance. We have reason to suspect that you have been programmed through a memory device by the Cylons. Therefore, you will remain in our custody until there is no longer a threat."

_You may be wrong for all I know_

"Sir, what will happen to me?" the Kara clone asked.

The admiral looked at her and sighed heavily. "I want to let you out of here. However, there's a problem with placement considering that most people think you're dead. I suppose we could find you a box of hair dye and you could claim to be Kara Thrace's sister, but even at that, I can't let you be a pilot for a while."

_But you may be right_

"You can let me do reconnaissance," she suggested.

He smiled at her. "I will consider that. No matter what happens, why don't you pick a name for yourself? I can't see calling you 'Kara' because you aren't her."

"I'll try, sir," she responded as he left.

(My thanks to max72, caramelapples, Tchi, and miss mcGonagle for reviewing :D)


	26. Unusual way

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. General Mason and company are also mine."Unusual Way," is by Linda Eder, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, from geebersjen's montage.

Chapter 26: Unusual way

Glad to be back in his quarters, he took a quick shower and began to make coffee after seeing that Roslin and Evie were still asleep. His alarm clock woke Roslin as Evie jumped out of bed. "Mommy, it's morning!"

The older woman yawned and sat up, turning off the alarm. "Yes it is, sweetie. I'm going to take a shower. Why don't you go wake up Bill?"

"He's already up," Evie mentioned as he walked into the bedroom carrying two cups of coffee.

_In a very unusual way_

"Thank you," Roslin said as he handed her a cup. "Looks like you've already been up for a few hours."

_One time I needed you_

"I'll let you get ready and then I'll explain things," he stated.

Taking her coffee with her, she showered and prepared herself for the morning as he and Evie made cereal out of the algae. Roslin smiled as she emerged from the bathroom and joined them for breakfast. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Roslin probed, accepting a bowl of the green cereal.

_In a very unusual way_

Adama crunched a few bites down before answering. "You don't have to worry so much about Baltar. He tried to free Kara's clone, but she stopped him and called the guards."

_You were my friend_

Roslin blinked and stared at him incredulously. "So he's back in his cell?"

"Yes. He claims that he doesn't remember trying to break her out, only that he went to sleep and woke up in the cell," Adama responded.

"And the Kara clone?" Roslin pursued, noticing that he looked away from her.

_Maybe it lasted a day_

"She fought her programming. I know I shouldn't trust her, but I want to. I can't put her back on duty as a pilot, but if we found her some hair dye and gave her a different call sign, she might still be able to do something," he explained.

_Maybe it lasted an hour_

Roslin reached out and covered his free hand with hers. "You know it won't bring her back."

_But somehow it will never end_

Adama nodded and faced her. "I just don't want to leave her in that cell anymore. If she worked with Athena, the whole matter could be kept relatively quiet and Athena could keep an eye on her," he rationalized.

"Since you do have a plan, I'm going to let this be your call, but I still don't like the idea," she relayed.

_In a very unusual way_

After breakfast, Roslin called _Colonial One_ asking Tory to bring over a change of clothes for her as well as Evie, and to bring her schedule for the day. Tory arrived a while later, report in hand and clothes in a bag. "Thank you, Tory," Roslin told her, nodding to the marine watching Tory to remain outside the admiral's quarters.

Roslin headed off into the bedroom to help Evie dress and then returned in her turquoise dress suit. Tory glanced from her to the admiral and sighed. "Something wrong, Tory?" Adama inquired.

_I think I'm in love with you_

Tory answered to Roslin. "Madame President, I know that we are not on the best of terms, but you should know what a risky career move this is. If the press gets wind of this-"

"Then your job is to see that they don't," Roslin interjected. "Now, what is my agenda?"

_In a very unusual way_

The aide flipped through the file, her eyes focused on the paper. "You have a meeting with Zarek on _Colonial One_, as well as one with the Virgonese delegates. We are also due to arrive at this Orion Station sometime today."

_I want to cry_

"Thank you, Tory," Roslin stated. Then she faced Adama and Evie. "I guess I had better go before he comes looking for me," she commented wryly.

Adama smirked. "He wouldn't dare look for you in here."

"Mommy, am I going with Bill again?" Evie asked as she and her mother hugged.

"I think Mrs. Dee is watching you again," Roslin answered, looking up at Bill, who nodded in confirmation.

Tory exited first and Adama walked Roslin to the door. "If your day gets too hectic…"

She smiled warmly. "I know where to find you." He took both of her hands in his, then leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.

_Something inside me goes weak_

They broke apart as someone knocked at the hatch. Adama let Dee in and the women smiled as they greet each other. "Dee, I have a favor to ask of you," Roslin mentioned.

_Something inside me surrenders_

"Go ahead, ma'am," Dee encouraged.

Roslin glanced back at Adama, then returned to the younger woman. "I need to leave some of my clothes in your guest quarters."

"I take it you'll be staying here on a more permanent basis then?" Dee asked.

"Something like that," Roslin answered.

Dee smiled back. "I don't mind at all."

Roslin headed off to her meeting with Zarek while Adama left Evie with Dee and walked to CIC. An hour and a half into the morning shift, the _Odyssey_ contacted them. "How can we help you, General?" Adama inquired.

"_We'll be nearing Orion Station in the next couple of hours. I need to explain a few things to you and your president. I would also like to be on your ship when we reach the station so that I can help negotiate proper clearance_," Mason explained.

Adama nodded. "That's fine, General. We'll see you shortly."

As the transmission ended, his phone buzzed. "Adama," he stated as he picked it up.

_And you're the reason why, you're the reason why _

He was surprised to hear Evie's voice. "Bill, Mrs. Dee fell asleep, but I don't think she was supposed to."

"What do you mean?" he asked calmly.

"We were coloring and she stood up. And she said she was dizzy. And she fell asleep on the floor. What do I do?" Evie requested.

He heard the worry in her little voice. "You just wait right there. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay," she told him as they hung up.

Adama glanced over at Tigh. "I think Dee fainted. Would you see that General Mason is escorted to Life Station? I'll meet her over there."

"Yes, sir," Tigh replied. He smiled inwardly as the admiral left, glad that his friend still trusted him to get a job done.

Dee was awake and sitting on the couch by the time Adama reached his quarters. "I'm sorry Evie had to call you, sir. I'm alright, just tired," Dee explained.

Adama shook his head. "You're going to Life Station, no arguments." The three of them left his quarters and he decided to call Roslin when they reached their destination.

Roslin and Zarek had finished discussing fleet matters as he stood. However, he did not leave as she thought he would. Instead he pressed his hands on the edge of her desk and leaned toward her. "Do you have time to discuss a few matters regarding who's in the brig?" he whispered.

She stood as well, making sure that Tory was no where in sight. "If we must."

He left her desk and took his seat in front of it again as she also resumed her seat. "Laura, you can't just keep Baltar in the brig indefinitely. If anyone finds out, you'll have a riot on your hands. The press will turn it into a fiasco for injustice."

_You don't know what you do to me_

Sitting back in her chair, she folded her hands on the desk. "The Cylons programmed him. At present, he's dangerous. Tell me Tom, what else should I do with him?"

_You don't have a clue_

"I think you should be more concerned with what the Cylons programmed our new Cylons to do. There's that, and then there's the blonde Cylon in the brig, and Thrace," he pointed out.

"The blonde Cylon has information. And regarding Captain Thrace, it's not her. She's not a Cylon; she's a clone," Roslin explained.

Zarek blinked. "Well that's a surprise."

Roslin scrutinized the man in front of her as she leaned forward. "How did you know we had Baltar in custody?"

"Word travels fast. That's why I'm telling you that leaving him in the brig will hurt you politically. I know you can't just let him out, but I have a suggestion," he paused.

"One of these days, I'll find out how you have such a good information network," she stated wryly. "Please, do go on."

"You can let him out, but have a few marines dressed as civilians following him, watching his every move," Zarek mentioned.

Roslin thought about what he had said for a moment. "The problem with that plan is that the marines are short-handed as it is. Having four of them watching the four new Cylons barely lets them do their other security jobs."

"If people didn't already know about it, I'd say just airlock the bastard," Zarek offered.

She snorted. "I wish I could. I suppose there's-" the phone interrupted her. "Roslin."

"Madame President, General Mason is here. She wanted to meet with us before we reached the space station. We'll meet in my quarters," Adama informed her.

"Thank you, Admiral. I'll be-" she heard the squeaky noise of something rolling by and asked, "Where are you?"

"Life Station. Everyone's fine now. I'll explain later," he relayed.

"Alright, Admiral. I will see you shortly then," she stated.

"Until then, Madame President," he finished.

Then he turned back to Dee as Cottle gave her instructions. "You've got to stop overdoing it. I want you to take the rest of the day off and relax. You need to make sure you're eating enough. Now all we need is that husband of yours."

_You can't tell what it's like to be me looking at you_

As if on cue, Lee wandered into Life Station. Mason stood patiently, watching the exchanges between the people as she held her thermos, which contained her morning coffee. Adama walked toward his son as Evie sat quietly on a chair, watching everyone. Mason took a moment to observe the perky little girl she had just met. The hair was definitely the colonial president's. The eyes though, if she had been a betting woman, were the admiral's.

"I called CIC, but they said you were probably here. I'm ready to have my job back, sir," Lee remarked.

Adama smiled. "That's good to know, son. Since you're here anyway, Dee has something to tell you."

Worry flashed in Lee's eyes. "What's she doing here? In fact, what are you doing here?"

As he came closer, Dee smiled up at him from the bed she sat on. "I'm okay. I've just got to take it easy for a while."

Lee sat down next to her and held one of her hands in his. "Talk to me, Dee."

"I didn't want to tell you yesterday because I thought you'd be overwhelmed. You're going to be a father," she told him.

_It scares me so that I can hardly speak_

He stared at her, eyes wide from complete shock. She giggled at his expression. At a loss for words, he kissed her soundly. Not being in the mood to deal with such sentimentalities, the doctor began to walk away. "I'm going to step out. Would have a smoke if I still had some," Cottle grumbled.

Mason caught up with him, carrying a paper cup with hot liquid that she had filled from her thermos. "_Here_," she offered.

He accepted the cup and raised an eyebrow as he stared at it. "What is this?"

"_Coffee_," she answered bluntly.

Carefully taking a drink, he frowned at her. "You don't want me to be addicted to cigarettes so you give me caffeine instead."

"_This habit smells better, and I'll have you know that's a good blend_," she stated primly.

_In a very unusual way_

Taking another drink, he stared at it again. "At least it's better than the motor oil they were making in the mess hall."

She snorted. "_You're incorrigible_."

_I owe what I am to you_

He seemed to ponder her comment for a minute, then he shook his head. "Nope, I'm old and cranky. And this is a poor substitute for a cigarette."

Snickering, she scolded him further. "_But you're a doctor. What the heck are you doing, smoking_?"

Looking at her, he paused. "That is a very good question. It was better than drinking at the time. What about you. Surely your people still have bad habits."

She smirked and he saw a glint of mischief. "_My bad habits really aren't worth pursuing_."

"For you to say that, they must be. Now spill it, young lady," he goaded her.

"_First of all, I would die without coffee_," she told him wryly.

He smirked and shook his head, taking another sip of the dark liquid. "I figured as much."

"_I'm impatient_," she added.

_Thought at times it appears I won't stay_

He raised an eyebrow. "No, really?" he responded sarcastically. "I thought our president was impatient until you came along."

"_Says the grouch_," she volleyed.

He grinned. "Damn right. Got any other bad habits?"

She looked back at Adama and the others. "_People say I'm too curious for my own good_."

He followed her gaze. "I'll bet I can guess where you're going with this one."

"_The higher officials where I come from don't usually have children together. The girl, I can tell she's the president's daughter. Is she also the admiral's_?" Mason probed.

"Not biologically," he answered.

Mason raised an eyebrow and faced Cottle. "_But the eyes_-"

"It's a long story that has to do with doctor-patient confidentiality and the Cylons," he told her.

"_But she is the president's_?" the general pursued.

"Yes," Cottle answered as they began to head back to the others. "How's the ear?"

"_Much better, thank you_," she replied. "_The infection is probably gone_."

"I'm the doctor here. We'll see about that," he stated as he reached for the necessary tools to look at her ear. "Looks pretty good. Two more days and everything should be cleared up."

"_Thank you_," she responded. As he cleaned the instruments, she continued talking to him. "_You know, I've decided t find ten things that are better than cigarettes for you. The first on that list can be coffee_."

_How could I ever forget you_

"That, young lady, is a matter of opinion," he grumbled.

When the admiral cleared his throat, they looked toward him. "General, if Major Cottle is finished with you, perhaps we can resume our meeting?"

Mason stood up straight, a slight blush in her cheeks countering her somber expression. "_That would be fine, Admiral. Good day, Major Cottle_," she told him with a nod.

"It's 'Jack.' Good day to you too, General," he mentioned.

She smiled back politely. "_Deidre_."

Lee and Dee looked between Mason and Cottle incredulously. The doctor met their perplexed looks with a glare. "Now everybody, clear out. I've got a lot of work to do and I don't have time for all this sentiment," he stated gruffly.

The young man helped his wife stand. "Yes, Doctor. We're all leaving," Lee responded.

Cottle stopped Mason before she could leave. "And you," he began crisply, "before you go, you owe me another cup of coffee."

She smirked as she poured him another cup. "_What for_?" she probed.

"Being facetious," he retorted.

_Once you had touched my soul_

"_You first, Jack_," she goaded him as she left with the admiral and Evie.

"Is Mrs. Dee gonna be okay?" Evie asked Adama on the way back to his quarters.

Adama picked her up so that they could walk faster. "Of course," he replied.

Roslin was sitting on the couch when they reached his quarters. She stood and greeted them. "What happened?" she questioned Adama.

"Dee pushed herself too much and passed out. She's alright now though, so Evie's with us for today," the admiral explained.

"That's fine," Roslin stated.

Mason did not miss the "us" and watched the scene with curiosity. Evie crawled up onto her mother's lap. "Mommy, will you read me a story?"

_In a very unusual way_

Roslin sighed and stroked her daughter's hair. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Maybe later. Bill and I need to talk to General Mason for a while."

Adama quickly perused his bookcase to find an old tattered children's book that used to belong to Lee. He returned with it, also holding a pencil and a piece of paper. "Why don't you look through this and trace some shapes?"

_You made me whole_

The little girl smiled and took the book as well as the paper and pencil. "Okay," she responded before sitting on the floor with her new task.

Then the admiral and the president turned to Mason. "_Now, let's get this meeting started_," she suggested.

(My thanks to Tchi, Marile3, miss mcGonagle, LilStrawbaby, and max72 for reviewing :D)


	27. Orion Station Part I

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. General Mason and company are mine as well. "In The Round," is by The Cardigans from monsie09's montage.

Chapter 27: Orion Station Part I

Mason took a chair while Roslin and Adama seated themselves on the couch. "_They have a linguistic database, but it's not as versatile as the one on my ship. It would be easier if I set up your docking, speaking to them from your ship_," Mason began.

_I am young and I'm alive_

"I suppose that would be alright," the admiral stated.

"_Also, you might not be able to doc all of your ships, which means that some of them will have to rotate in and out of the docking area_," the general added.

Roslin looked over at Adama. "I believe we can handle that. How will we be negotiating trade?"

Mason placed her hands on her knees and sat forward. "_I'll handle that part. I know several people on the station, including the man who's in charge of the whole thing. I also think it would be best if you two came with me_."

_I want to talk about things_

The admiral nodded thoughtfully. "I think we can work something-"

"Bill," Roslin interrupted. He jerked his head in her direction. "What are we going to do with Evie today?"

He glanced over at the girl, who was contently drawing shapes. "I guess we'll have to bring her with us."

"_Actually, that would be a good idea. I was about to mention that your security detail should follow you in civilian clothes so that it looks as if I'm leading a tour group. The less conspicuous you make yourselves, the less danger you'll be in. Granted, security on Orion Station has always been exemplarity, but some of the businessmen there aren't. If you two bring her, you'll just look like a family and the less reputable salesmen will probably stay away_," Mason explained.

"It's settled then," Roslin stated.

Later they stood in CIC as the space station came into view. It was a succession of pod-like structures on three circular grids, all slowly rotating. Mason stood to Adama's right while Roslin stood on his left. The station contacted them and an officer in a green uniform like those of Mason's crew appeared. "_Please state the purpose for the visit and the docking codes. If this is your first visit, please fill out the digital application and wait for an attendant before docking. How may we help you_?" the young man's words were a rhetoric that he had used many times before.

Mason rolled her eyes and turned to Adama. "_I hate it when they are so impersonal. It's a problem that turns up once in a while_." Then she turned her attention back to the screen. "_Lieutenant, I need to speak with General Arlington. Tell him that General Mason is here_," she requested.

_I am young and I own my life_

"_Ma'am, I just do docking codes. What is the purpose of this visit_?" he continued.

_I need to talk about it, baby_

She resisted the urge to grit her teeth and smiled politely. "_I have several ships that need supplies. I know that space is limited, so I need to discuss a rotating shift as well as payment with your commanding officer_."

"_Look ma'am, if you just give me your docking codes, we can move on_," the young man insisted.

Adama heard her say a word under her breath that was not translated as she grumbled, "_I don't have time for this_." Then she took a deep breath and returned to the young man. "_Alright, mason5032940hexagon-gama734elipse_."

The young man typed in the code and abruptly his eyes widened. His head shot up and he spoke again. "_Sir, I am so sorry. General Arlington will be here shortly_."

"What was that all about?" Adama asked.

"_I have top level security clearance at this station. I also personally know the man in charge of it. He is a permanent fixture here, however, his staff isn't and whenever they change lower management, they give me the third degree_," Mason explained.

_I am one but I asked for two_

Roslin raised an eyebrow. "The third degree?"

"_It's an expression. It's like a run-around or basically a low-level interrogation," _she answered.

A moment later, a pasty blonde man with a goatee and strong chiseled features appeared on the screen. "_General Mason, it's good to see you_," he began.

Mason smiled politely. "_You as well, General Arlington_."

"_What can we do for you_?" he inquired.

She glanced at the admiral and president before continuing. "_There is a great deal that you and I should discuss privately. I've got a lot of ships here that are in desperate need of supplies_."

"_Start docking the ships and we'll discuss how you want to do this when you come aboard_," Arlington mentioned.

Mason entered the station followed by Adama and Roslin, who carried Evie, and her security detail wearing civilian clothes. The walls and floors were a coppery metallic color. Other uniformed officers leading civilians passed by. "Do people regularly lead tours through here?" Roslin asked Mason.

_I didn't get anything_

"_Yes. Tourism is part of what keeps this place running_," she mentioned. She proceeded to point out one of the pod-like structures. "_If you look out of the window there, that section is where they grow plants and vegetables without soil. The agricultural explorations here are part of the reason why tourists visit_."

In the hall they stopped as crowds of people tried to squeeze through the same doors. "Is it always this crowded?" Adama inquired.

Mason looked back at him. "_Actually no. Someone's either giving a lecture on the orchard that they just put in and these are all students, or they've changed the schedule for trading days. Once a month several businesses come here to trade in a massive market, but that should have been last week_."

As they moved through the sea of people, Evie heard many different languages spoke. "Mommy, the people sound so funny!" she exclaimed.

"That's because they're all speaking other languages," Roslin explained.

When they had emerged from the crowd, Mason led them through a few small hallways were only military personnel moved about. She stopped in front of a door and knocked. The door was opened by General Arlington himself. "_I knew it was you. You're the only one who knocks. Everyone else uses the intercom system_."

_This puppet's lonely without you_

He let her in with Adama and Roslin following while the security detail remained outside. "_Thank you for making time to see me. I need to introduce you to our interstellar guests_."

Mason held her translator out as the others spoke. "I'm Admiral Adama of the Colonial Fleet."

"And I'm President Roslin of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol," she stated.

Arlington shook hands with Adama and nodded to Roslin, who was unable to shake hands because she still held Evie. "_I'm General Travis Arlington. Welcome to Orion Station."_

Evie stared at Arlington, and then looked back at Adama. "Bill, his moustache is funny. Yours is better."

Roslin placed a hand over her mouth and watched her daughter with shock. Mason smirked and Adama chuckled. Arlington shook his head and smiled at the girl. "_And who might you be?"_

Roslin blushed. "This is my daughter Evie. She hasn't learned tact yet." Then she turned to her daughter. "Sweetie, that was not polite. You should apologize to the man."

Evie looked over at Arlington. "Sorry."

He laughed. "_I don't mind at all. My nephew is about her age and you should be glad that she doesn't say more. He keeps telling my sister that she's fat and giving her fashion advice_."

"Mommy, I think you're pretty," Evie said, as if to amend her earlier outburst. Roslin smirked and shook her head as she pulled the girl closer.

"_I think someone's got a future in politics_," Mason teased.

"All in good time," Roslin added, wanting to move on. "Why are there so many people here today?"

_ "Recently we've enacted a second market day. They are here for business. Where exactly are you from_?" he asked.

_It's tough to walk without strings_

"That's kind of hard to explain. Do you have any star charts?" Adama asked.

Arlington looked to Mason. "_I'm sure General Mason here could download your files onto our system_."

Mason cleared her throat. "_They aren't networked_."

_I do my dance in the round_

The man blinked and eyed her as if she had sprouted three heads. "_Why not_?"

"_It was their best defense against the S.O.A.s_," Mason explained.

"They destroyed our homeworlds and we've been on the road since," Roslin told him.

"_Just how many of you are there_?" the other general probed.

"Forty thousand," Roslin answered.

Arlington stood. "_General Mason, may I have a word with you regarding trade_?"

Mason nodded and rose. "_Of course, sir_." The two slipped off into a back room, leaving Adama and Roslin to ponder the meeting.

"I've got this feeling that he might not help us," Adama told her.

"Perhaps he's overwhelmed. Forty thousand people is a large drain on anyone's resources," Roslin commented.

In the back office, Arlington stood as Mason perched herself on the edge of the desk. "_Deidre, what have you gotten yourself into_?" he asked.

_I'm right on track but this state is frail_

She drummed her fingers against the desk. "_Don't give me that look. They just showed up. Their people need supplies. They claim we're from the Thirteenth Tribe and that we're somehow connected. I don't know if I buy that part, but these people need our help_."

"_Cormac doesn't know about what you're proposing, does he_?" Arlington pointed out.

_You slip out and derail_

"_He only cares about the next election. They've been eating algae. Algae, Travis, not even rations! I know I'm asking a great deal from you, from Orion Station. I do intend to pay for all this_," Mason insisted.

Arlington sighed heavily. "_I can't get you fresh food, but I have prepackaged supplies_."

"_I'm sure they would appreciate any effort we give them. Thank you_," Mason remarked.

He shook his head. "_Don't presume to thank me yet. We are still negotiating payment_."

She studied him. "_What did you have in mind_?"

"_For the past eight months, since the S.O.A.s attacked us, your brother has been charging us protection fees_," he began.

"_What! How is he getting away with that_?" she demanded.

"_If we don't pay, he attacks us_," Arlington answered frankly.

Mason stood and began pacing. "_But that's extortion! It was classified under piracy and outlawed for almost a decade_!"

"_He is due back here within the next day. Here is my offer: you can have what supplies we can spare you if keep your brother away from us permanently_," Arlington stated.

_I do my dance in the round_

She nodded. "_I promise I will try_-"

"_No. I want your word that you'll take care of him_," the other general insisted.

_So people clap your hands_

Sighing, she folded her hands, evaluating the offer. Then she looked over at him resolutely. "_You have a deal_." They shook and then left the office to find Evie singing to the other two.

_Clap your hands_

She sang the Sagittarian folk song that Dee had taught her. "That was lovely, sweetie," Roslin told her when she had finished.

"That was from Dee. I hope she's feeling better by now," Adama commented.

Arlington sat down at his desk. "_I'm sorry that you two had to wait. We have arranged to give you prepackaged supplies for your whole group. Is that acceptable_?"

_I wanna do it right this time_

Roslin and Adama exchanged astonished smiles. "Very much so. We are in your debt," the president told him.

"_I'm taking care of payment_," Mason mentioned.

_I wanna step in time_

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Evie chimed in.

Mason smiled. "_I'll show you to the cafeteria_."

"That would be fine," Adama answered.

_I wanna do it right this time, yeah!_

Before they left, Arlington handed Mason the paperwork on how distribution would be handled and instructed her where to go. She led the others to the cafeteria and typed in a few access codes by one of the food counters. "_Order whatever you like. Just say my name at the desk and it'll be charged to me_."

_Clap your hands_

"General, you are too generous. We can't accept this sort of charity," Roslin debated.

_I gotta get it right this time_

"_It's not charity. Madame President, Admiral, you have no currency that matches ours at the moment. If you insist on paying me back, then send me something with the history of your people on it, as well as star charts from where you came from, if it's not too much trouble_," Mason responded.

_I wanna do it right this time_

Then she reached into her pocket and removed what looked like a smaller version of her translation device. It was small and circular with a screen and a few gray buttons. "_This button will translate, so you know what people around you are saying, and they hear the same. If you need to reach me, use these two buttons here, and then select 'Mason' from the screen. Then push this button for the speaker setting_."

_I do my dance in the round_

They agreed and she left them to handle the food situation. Roslin and Adama could not keep the amazement off their faces as they saw the variety of food before them. Watching other people, they picked up plates, Roslin taking one for herself as well as one for Evie, and filled them with small amounts of this and that.

A small table by one of the large rectangular windows looked welcoming. They sat and began to eat, Roslin and Adama swapping food between them for a maximum variety. "Mmm, it's been too long since we've had real food," Roslin mentioned.

_I am young, coming at you live_

"Yes, it has been. This was really nice of the general. Perhaps there are still some books left over from the gift shop on our culture that we could give her," Adama stated.

Then they looked over at Evie, who had eaten all of her broccoli and the other green vegetables, but poked her potato wedges with her finger. "Is something wrong, sweetie?"

Roslin asked.

_People gonna talk about me_

Evie looked up at her. "Mommy, why isn't the other food green?"

Roslin smiled at her daughter's perspective of the food. "Don't worry, sweetie. The food is safe. It's not green because it isn't made from algae. What you have there is a potato."

_When I'm done, please hang me high_

The girl stared at the small wedge and stabbed it with her fork. Then she put it in her mouth and began to chew it. Her face contorted in a confused frown. Roslin watched her with concern, but Adama smirked, trying not to laugh. Eventually she swallowed it and then glared at the remaining wedges. "People eat this?"

_For everybody to see_

"Yes, and some people even like them. It might be an acquired taste," Adama commented as Evie moved on to eat some of the chicken on her plate.

"Zack and Lee had the same reaction to potatoes when they were boys," Adama told Roslin. "I think it has something to do with the texture."

Roslin relaxed. "That would make sense. I wonder when the general will need us."

Mason had finished setting up distribution and supplies. The next step would be for the admiral to contact the fleet and arrange the order for which ships received what. On her way back to the cafeteria, her communicator buzzed. "_Mason_."

_Cause I do my dance in the round_

"_This is Travis. Your brother is here docking. Don't forget our deal_," he reminded.

_So people clap your hands_

"_I won't_," she answered.

_I wanna get it right_

She almost jogged back to the docking bay. Recognizing her brother's crew, she stopped and looked for him. They dragged someone out of the ship. The person's head faced away from Mason, but she could see the torn, bloody prison suit and the electronic shackles. Her brother's XO walked over to the person and the guards. "_We're leaving the prisoner here. He's not much good to us anymore_," he told one of the lieutenants who worked at the station.

_I'm dyin' to get it right  
I wanna get it right_

Mason moved passed a stack of plastic crates, then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned rapidly and saw the one person whom she was looking for. He stood a head taller with the same brown hair as hers. He narrowed his eyes at her, as though she was no better than a deck hand. "_Hello, Dotty. It's been a while_," he sneered.

_I'm dyin' to get it right_

(My thanks to caramelapples and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	28. Orion Station Part II

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. General Mason and company are mine as well. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is by Pat Benetar from Helen2611's montage.

Chapter 28: Orion Station Part II

"_Not long enough_," Mason retorted. "_What are you doing here_?"

"_I could ask you the same question. I'm here to drop off the S.O.A. prisoner and collect a monthly payment, both of which don't concern you_," he said snidely, fingering an electronic note square in one hand.

_Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history_

"_I believe they are. What you're doing is illegal_," she protested.

He snorted and crossed his arms. "_You can't stop me_."

_Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me_

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Arlington. She glanced over her shoulder to see him talking to his people. "_I don't have to. I think you've just lost your trading spot_."

_That's o.k., lets see how you do it_

Edward glared at her and stormed off toward Arlington. "_General, what's going on here? I've left the prisoner in your custody and I'm waiting for my usual payment_."

_Put up your dukes, lets get down to it!_

Arlington shook his head. "_Not this time. I do believe your codes are invalid. I'll have to ask you to leave_."

"_You can't be serious_," Edward argued, looking toward the others at the dock to find someone who would follow his orders.

"_None of my people will help you. I think you need to leave_," Arlington relayed.

_Hit me with your best shot!_

Edward looked from Mason to Arlington and gritted his teeth. "_You will be sorry_." Then he turned to his own crew. "_Come on, men. Some people haven't learned their lesson for the day_."

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot!_

As he left, Mason spotted his note bad on the floor. She bent down to pick it up, noticing Arlington's name with a check by it. She followed Arlington as he headed out of the docking bay. "_Travis, do you know what this is_?"

_Hit me with your best shot!_

He looked down at it. "_It's a list of the five candidates running against Cormac for president_."

She turned and looked at him incredulously. "_Why didn't you tell me you where running? I haven't even seen anyone campaigning here_."

"_Campaigning is done once a week in the market section, which you haven't been to today. I did not see a reason to tell you something that I didn't think you were concerned about_," Arlington reasoned.

_Fire away!_

"_I need to get back to my ship. Do me a favor and find out if everyone else on this list was paying Edward for extortion_," Mason requested. He nodded and she called Adama and Roslin.

They headed back to their respective ships, the Colonials to deal with supplies, Mason to deal with her brother's wrath. Mason stalked onto her bridge, looking directly at the other starcraft on the viewscreen. Chang noticed her sharp manner and approached her. "_Sir, what's going on_?"

She motioned for him to step aside and they walked into her office. "_I had to make a deal with Arlington to get the supplies for our new friends_," she began.

"_Something tells me that it was not the best deal you could have made_," Chang observed.

Mason paced the room. "_My brother has been extorting from Arlington. I promised to stop him_."

_You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair_

"_At what cost_?" Chang asked with concern.

She took a deep breath. "_We're about to find out_."

They walked back onto the bridge as Lieutenant Red called out, "_Sir, that ship out there is charging weapons_."

"_Arm weapons and raise shields._ _Now hail them_," Mason ordered. Edward's face appeared on her screen. "_What do you think you're doing_?"

"_Dotty, you made me a challenge. Now you realize that I have one choice. Your friend has a lesson to learn_," Edward sneered.

"_You will not fire on him_," she said firmly.

"_And how to you plan to stop me_?" he argued.

She rested both hands on the railing and leaned forward. "_I'll shoot you down myself if I have to_."

A disturbing, fiendish grin spread over Edward's face. "_You know you'd be committing treason. Shooting at a starcraft is an act of war, therefore counted as treason_."

_But that's o.k., see if I care!_

"_And extortion is piracy. Piracy is illegal_," she threw back.

"_You wouldn't fire on me, Dotty_," he retorted.

She stood up straighter. "_Are you a betting man, Edward? If you're betting that I won't fire on you, then you'd better check your odds again. If you attempt to fire on that station, I will fire on you for criminal actions_."

_Knock me down, its all in vain_

"_And your new friends? Obviously you've left me out of the loop. Will they help you_?" he jabbed.

_Ill get right back on my feet again!_

"_This is between you and me. Now I suggest you leave. Neither one of us really wants to waste fire power, or read through a list of repairs_," she reasoned.

_Hit me with your best shot!_

"_Sir, he's powering down weapons_," Red stated.

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot!_

"_This isn't over_," Edward told her before ending the transmission. Mason quietly sighed with relief as Edward's ship left the station.

_Hit me with your best shot!_

"_Drop battle mode_," she instructed. Then she spoke to Chang. "_I need to go over to Galactica to see how they're doing. You have the bridge_."

_Fire away!_

"_Yes, sir_," he responded. "_Do you also need that ear infection looked at_?" he whispered with a smirk. She glared at him, but then dealt him a half-smile as she left.

While Mason was engaged in the standoff with her brother, Adama and Roslin had spoken to all their vessels in coordinating supply distribution. Dee was feeling much better and wanted to look after Evie. Roslin headed off to a meeting with some of the Gemonese representatives. Having finished giving the other captains basic instructions, Adama headed to one end of the brig. The Kara clone jumped to her feet and saluted. Baltar looked up and rolled his eyes.

"At ease," he told the blonde woman. "Have you picked a name for yourself yet?"

_Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history_

She nodded. "I think I've settled on 'Erika.'"

Adama pondered the name for a moment as he unlocked her door. "It's a good strong name. I think it'll work. If anyone asks, you're Kara's cousin. You need a different last name too. Walk with me."

_Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me_

"What about me?" Baltar asked, suddenly standing. "Admiral, you cannot simply leave me here forever!"

_Before I put another notch in my lipstick case_

"You're here until we decide that you're not dangerous," the admiral relayed.

_You better make sure you put me in my place_

He led the blonde woman to his quarters and handed her a fresh uniform. While she changed in his bathroom, he called Athena. She was sitting on the couch when Erika emerged. "Hey."

The other woman smiled back. "Hey yourself."

_Hit me with your best shot!_

"I'm glad they finally let you out of the brig," Athena remarked.

"I can understand a bit better how you felt," Erika responded.

_Come on, hit me with your best shot!_

Adama gestured for Erika to have a seat. "I've solved your 'last name' problem. When I was over on the space station, I heard several different names that have no relations within our fleet. We'll call you 'Erika Wellington.'"

"That's fine, sir," she replied.

Athena studied her for a moment. "I think I've got a call sign figured out too, 'Echo.'"

_Hit me with your best shot!_

Erika frowned. "Are you kidding? That one screams 'I'm a copy!'"

_Fire away!_

"You could come up with a good story involving Cylons and a flight maneuver," Adama volunteered.

The woman sighed and smirked. "I can see I'm outnumbered. Fine, 'Echo' it is."

"Now that we've settled that, I want the two of you to take a Raptor and keep an eye out for the Cylons," the admiral instructed.

"Yes, sir," both women replied simultaneously before leaving.

As Adama returned to CIC, Mason sent a transmission that she wanted to discuss progress with them. He met her in the docking bay and they walked to his quarters. "The president will meet us later. So far, distribution seems to be affective and we should be out of your friend's way in a few more days."

She craned her neck, trying to rub out the tightness that had developed from the day's stress. "_That's fine. My ship will lead you at least to Mars_," she told him, her confidence masking her worry.

They went over a few more distribution logs before Roslin arrived. "Is something wrong, General?" Roslin asked as she entered and sat in a chair.

"_No, Madame President. I wanted to inform you of a development though. The last S.O.A. prisoner is being kept at the station. I was wondering if the two of you would like to see it, in case it's one you haven't encountered_," Mason explained.

The leaders exchanged looks. "I think that would be a wise idea, General," Roslin conveyed.

"I agree. We should know exactly what we're dealing with," Adama responded.

The three of them took a Raptor back to the station. The crowds had reached their respective destinations and the halls were quieter as Mason led them through a winding path of confusion until they stopped at an unmarked door. She removed a key from her pocket and unlocked it. "You really do have top security clearance," Adama remarked.

_Hit me with your best shot!_

"_There are times when it's useful_," Mason stated. The holding cell was a room with gray flat carpeting, gray walls, and a small bed against the wall. The prisoner was lying on the bed and they could not see him well through the viewing window.

"I don't think it's whatever model Anders is. What little I can see of the hair is the wrong color," Roslin stated.

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot!_

"At least it's not a Brother Cavil," Adama remarked.

Then the prisoner slowly sat up and rose to his feet. As he began to pace the room, Roslin gasped in shock. Adama glared at him, though he knew he was not seen. "I knew you should've never trusted him."

_Hit me with your best shot!_

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "I just never expected it to be Tom Zarek."

_Fire away!_

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, LilStrawbaby, max72, Ceridwyn2, and Tchi for reviewing :D)


	29. Predictions and promises

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. General Mason and company are mine as well. "My Grownup Christmas List" is by Kelly Clarkson.

Chapter 29: Predictions and promises

"I want to talk to it," Adama told Mason.

She stepped back to confer with a few officers and then returned to him. "_It's in really bad shape, but_ _I think we can do that. Follow me_."

_Do you remember me  
I sat upon your knee_

Two armed guards came with them as they walked down another hall to the door of the cell. The guards entered first, followed by Mason, then Roslin and Adama. The prisoner looked at them wearily. Adama took a step forward and spoke. "Tom Zarek."

_I wrote to you  
With childhood fantasies_

"No," the prisoner answered in a shaky voice. Due to his weakened state, he resumed his seat on the bed. "Number Thirteen."

Roslin moved toward him. "So you are one of the Final Five?"

_Well, I'm all grown up now  
And still need help somehow_

He studied the two for a while. "You two speak my language, so I'll assume you're Colonials. I'm dying. Why should I answer you?"

"We can make your suffering shorter," Roslin tossed in.

_I'm not a child  
But my heart still can dream_

The prisoner raised an eyebrow in a way mirroring the vice president. "You really think that's a bargain?"

"No one's going to rescue you. Your Cylon friends are going to let you die out here," Roslin informed him.

_So here's my lifelong wish  
My grown up Christmas list_

"You think I actually care, don't you? You would. I've heard about you, President Roslin, and you too, Admiral Adama. The Cylons knew that with you two in charge, humanity had a chance, and they've been worried ever since," he mentioned.

_Not for myself  
But for a world in need_

"What is the purpose of the Final Five?" Adama questioned.

_No more lives torn apart_

"You don't know?" the prisoner jeered.

_That wars would never start_

Roslin crossed her arms. "Are they here to help the clone complete the mission?"

_and wars would never start_

Number Thirteen chuckled darkly. "And I thought you were smart. The Cylons sent the Thrace clone as a trap, a detour. Obviously that plan failed. It's not about your clone either. We know that she knows what you know, and if we could get her, it would benefit us. But it's not completely about her."

_And time would heal all hearts_

"Then please, enlighten us to what this is about," Roslin requested.

_And everyone would have a friend_

The prisoner wheezed for a while before answering. "What do you think? I'm enjoying this little game. It's been a while since I've heard my own language. I've had the crap kicked out of me by people speaking backwards for weeks. I'll tell you what, you make a statement, and I'll tell you if you're getting warmer. I won't give you answers, but I won't lie if you're close enough."

"The Final Five are here to destroy Earth," Adama speculated.

_And right would always win_

"You're ice cold, Admiral. That was the clone's job," Thirteen replied, placing his arm around his midsection and grimacing in pain at old injuries.

_And love would never end_

Roslin thought about who the Final Five were. Then an idea occurred to her. "They were sent to infiltrate us, the ultimate experiment in mimicking us from our heroism and planning skills to our egoism and bad habits."

_This is my grown up Christmas list_

"It figures you'd be the one. Now we're getting somewhere. What else?" Thirteen encouraged.

"Their job was to teach us how human the Cylons could be, to the point where we wouldn't be able to tell the difference and would see them as part of our society. They were supposed to blend in so that we would acknowledge the Cylons as equals instead of monsters," Roslin assessed.

_As children we believed  
The grandest sight to see_

"Damn, you are on fire. A child's desire is to imitate its parents. The Final Five were the most accurate creations, to the point where… they have… only been… given one order," Thirteen began to cough as he spoke.

"_I don't know how much more you will be able to get out of him_," Mason interjected.

"I can't leave it here," Roslin told her. Then she turned back to the prisoner. "What was the order?"

He had coughed up blood and turned to face her with the disgusting red substance dripping down his chin. "I don't think you can stop it, so I'll tell you this without the games. Their only order was 'Kill the traitor,' the… human… who's… betrayed… the Cylons."

"If they don't succeed in blending with humans, if the humans still view them as monstrosities, what then? Will they destroy Earth then?" Adama probed.

_Was something lovely  
Wrapped beneath our tree_

"Not just Earth, all of humanity will stand judgment," Thirteen answered.

"Who's the traitor?" Adama demanded.

But the prisoner sputtered for his final breaths and died. Adama, Roslin, and Mason were quiet on the walk back to the Raptor. No one said a word until they were back in space. "We have a problem. What do we do about Zarek?" Roslin asked Adama.

"We detain him on his ship and question him," the admiral replied rationally.

Mason closed her eyes and rubbed her neck again. "_You could invite him over to your ship and detain him there. It would give you the advantage_," she suggested.

"That's not a bad idea, and you should see Cottle your neck," Adama mentioned.

Roslin ran a hand through her hair. "Zarek and I have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. If I change the time, he may suspect something."

"Then we wait," Adama consented. "I have people on his ship who I can ask to watch him."

Having no idea what had transpired at the station, or even that they had met other humans, Baltar was lying on his bed with his hands folded, staring up at the ceiling. "This is madness. I cannot believe that they left me in here again!" he said to no one in particular.

_Well heaven only knows_

The Six in his head walked into his sight line. "_Gaius, dear Gaius, I know you are more resourceful than this_."

_That packages and bows_

He sat up slowly. "What do you expect me to bloody do? The door's locked and there is a guard on duty."

_Can never heal_

"_Quit making excuses and come up with a plan_!" she demanded.

_A hurting human soul_

Looking over, he could see the guard reading a book. He placed his head in his hands and sighed, glaring down at his shoes. Then he noticed that he still had his shoelaces. He also remembered a habit of his that had become an unconscious ritual. He stuck a finger in the inside arch of his right shoe and found a narrow pen. Then he studied the lock, an old clunky antique.

Quietly pulling a shoelace out and holding the pen in his other hand, he noiselessly moved toward the lock. He used the hard end of the shoelace and the pen to pick the lock. It opened with a soft click. Now how was he going to distract the guard? If he was quiet enough, maybe he would not need to. The trick was to open the door just enough to slide out before the hinges could squeak.

He sucked in to make himself thinner as he slowly moved the door. Inch by inch, he moved it at a snail's pace until the gap was wide enough. He took off his shoes so that they would not make noise, then stepped out of the cell. The guard had not noticed. He applied the same quiet tact as he worked the mechanism. It opened and he stepped out into freedom. Seeing no one in the hall, he quietly closed the door and darted down three hallways before replacing his shoes.

As soon as they docked on _Galactica_, Roslin and Adama headed to CIC while Mason walked to Life Station. She entered and sank into a chair as she waited the doctor. When she saw him, she gave him a small smile. "You're actually glad to see me. I should be worried," he teased her.

She stood as he motioned for her to follow him. Then she sat down on a bed while he assembled his instruments. "_It's been one hell of a day_," she admitted frankly.

_No more lives torn apart_

He put a familiar object by her ear. "How's the ear been?"

"_Fine. I'm here for my neck this time. It's been stiff and sore all day, and I've got a headache. I could use a good night's sleep too . You can add that too our list_," she relayed.

_That wars would never start_

Putting down the instrument, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's see what we've got hear." He tried to find the problem, but her dense uniform material was in the way. He cleared his throat and walked around to face her. "I hope that uniform of yours comes with undershirts, or I can't tell you what's wrong."

She raised an eyebrow, but then deduced what he was asking. Undoing the Velcro off to the right, she shrugged the top off to reveal a green undershirt. "_It's standard in case life support goes offline and the ship starts to overheat_."

He walked behind her again and placed his hands on her neck and shoulders. "Boy, you win the prize on knots for the week. I can tell where you keep your tension."

_And time would heal all hearts_

Then he started to give her a massage. She relaxed and dropped her shoulders, mentally reminding herself that this was for medical purposes. He was trying not to cross the line between doctor and patient as well. In his mind, he had decided that when he was examining her, he was the doctor. When he was trading barbs with her… well that was something else.

"_I'm definitely recommending this for the list also. Neck rubs are better than cigarettes_," she remarked with a satisfied smirk as he stopped and faced her again.

_And everyone would have a friend_

"There's one more thing I want to try. Your neck's out of alignment. Roll your head to the left," he instructed. She died as he asked. Then he grabbed her chin with one hand and put the other around the back of her neck. "You need to relax." She closed her eyes. With a few quick movements from him, she heard her bones snap back into place. "There. How do you feel now?"

She stared at him, wide-eyed. No physician she had ever been to had done that before. "_It feels pretty good. Maybe you're a witchdoctor after all_."

_And right would always win_

He snorted. "Young lady, that's called chiropractics. I'm no more a witchdoctor than you're a good patient."

_And love would never end_

She glared at him, but then smiled. Then she glanced down as her stomach growled. "_I suppose I forgot a few things today_."

"In that case, I can explain part of your headache. When's the last time you ate?" he drilled.

"_I think I had a biscuit with my morning coffee_," she mentioned.

Cottle shook his head. "You need to take better care of yourself. What is your crew going to do if you suddenly pass out from hunger? What did you do today that kept you so busy you forgot to eat?" he scolded, walking off to the small kitchen area.

Mason sighed and put her uniform top back on. "_My brother is an extortionist. I had to stop him in order for your fleet to get supplies. Then I almost ended up blowing him, and myself to kingdom come. The worst part is that I'll probably have to fight him again for something else_."

She heard a blender and then he emerged with a tall glass of something green. "You two must've been loads of fun at family reunions," he said sarcastically as he hander her the glass.

"_Dare I ask what this is_?" she probed.

"The algae might not be good for much, but it makes a decent protein shake. Drink it, you might feel better."

Taking a gulp, she grimaced as she swallowed it. "_This doesn't make our list. How have you people been surviving? I don't mind telling you that this is absolutely horrifying._"

"I know, but it's nutritious," he stated.

She held her nose and drank half of it. "_I have to admit that I've had rations better than that," she stated, handing the glass back to him_.

He chuckled. "So have I."

Sighing, she stood as she looked at her watch. "_I should be going back to my ship. Thank you for fixing my neck_."

"No problem. I just wish I'd had a better snack for you. That green stuff even makes me shudder," he relayed.

She smirked. "_You know, I'll have to invent some other excuses to bother you, now that my ear problem is fixed_," she began.

"You run a ship. Why do you need an excuse?" he goaded her.

"_Protocol_," she stated dryly.

"Then you need to make sure we're not having problems with the medical supplies you gave us," he suggested.

She studied him, shaking her head and chuckling. "_Jack, you are far sneakier than I'll bet anyone gives you credit for. Did you work at a casino in a past life_?" she teased.

"Nope, I play Triad," he remarked.

"_And that is…_" she prompted.

"A card game, one that a winner would say could go on that list you've started," he answered.

She smiled back. "_You'll have to teach me then_."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm hard as nails to learn from, just ask any of the younger staff members."

"_Oh, I'm sure you are. I'm a frustrating person to teach_," she threw back.

"Then what would be my motivation?" he questioned.

Standing, she walked over to him and smirked. "If you teach me your card game, I'll bring something else with me to add to our list."

_This is my grown up Christmas list_

She did not come across as mischievous to him, not really. But in that moment it was definitely mischief that he saw in her eyes. "Young lady, you are up to something and I should say no, but I'm much too curious now. Alright, I'll teach you the card game."

Chang greeted Mason when she returned to her ship. "You seem in a better mood, sir," he observed.

Mason smiled politely as they walked to the bridge. "I had a snack of sorts and I feel much less stressed."

"Before you left, you visited their doctor," he commented simply as he walked ahead for a few feet.

"I had a neck problem," she responded.

They walked onto the bridge. "Sir, no sign of the other General Mason's ship," Lieutenant Red relayed.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Mason mentioned. Then she turned to Chang. "I'm waiting for an update on a list that Edward dropped. Travis is looking into it. I'll explain more when he tells me what he's got," she whispered. Her eyes faced the viewscreen and as she spotted _Galactica_, she wondered how the admiral was doing.

Adama and Roslin stood in CIC, Evie playing with the model ships again. They had been in contact with the other captains and the supply/distribution process seemed to be proceeding with out a hitch. "I can't wait until we can all eat real food again," Roslin told him quietly.

"I don't know. I might miss cooking without the green goop," he told her with a smirk.

Then the phone rang and Tigh answered it. "CIC, XO. Yes, he's here. Hold on a minute," he said, handing the phone to the admiral.

"Adama," he said after he accepted the phone. "What? How? Of course I want a security team on that! How long ago? I want him found, that's an order," he ended in a quiet, but firm tone.

"What's going on?" Roslin asked him.

He motioned for her and Tigh to step closer. "Baltar's escaped."

"How?" Roslin demanded.

"Apparently the guard on duty claims that he was distracted. Saul, I'm leaving it up to you to find him," Adama relayed.

"You can count on me," the other man replied.

Tigh and the security team were still looking for Baltar when Adama's shift ended. He, Roslin, and Evie headed back to his quarters for dinner. He entered the kitchen to make algae rolls with cheese filling while the other two sat in the living room.

"Mommy, what's a father?" Evie questioned as she curled up on Roslin's lap.

_What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?_

Her mother pulled the girl's hair back. "Why do you ask, sweetie?"

"Mrs. Dee said that Mr. Lee was going to be a father," she explained.

Roslin's glance flickered to Adama as she took a deep breath. "Well sweetie, a father takes care of you like a mother does. He can read you stories and tuck you in. While a mother teaches you how you should behave, a father can teach you about trust and also what fun is. A father takes care of his family," she replied.

Evie weighed what she had been told, chewing on her bottom lip. Then she looked at Roslin and the woman had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she knew where the conversation was going. "Mommy, who's my father?"

_Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth_

_Oh frak. How am I ever going to explain this_? She looked from her daughter to the kitchen. Adama had heard the entire conversation and stood in the doorway. He smiled and nodded to Roslin's baffled expression. "What if I told you that Bill is your father?" she asked, keeping eye contact with him.

He walked into the room and sat down next to them. Evie grinned brightly. "Really?"

"Yes," he mentioned as he reached over and mussed her hair.

"Yay!" she exclaimed, making her way toward him and giving him a hug.

Roslin flashed him a shy, appreciative smile. They ate dinner and then the two adults read to Evie again. As they finished the book, there was a knock at the door. Adama opened it to find Dee standing in the doorway. He let her in and noticed that she was carrying a bag. "Hello, Dee," he greeted.

"Sir," she returned. Then she sought out Roslin. "Ma'am, I have something you might want," she commented as she handed the bag to the president.

Roslin looked in the bag and saw her nightgown. "Thank you, Dee."

"You're welcome. There's one more thing though. Lee wants Evie to spend the night with us. He says he needs practice," she explained.

_No more lives torn apart_

Adama and Roslin exchanged glances. Then Roslin turned back to her daughter. "Evie, do you want to spend the night with Mrs. Dee and Mr. Lee?"

Evie pondered the question for a minute. "Okay," she commented as she hopped off the couch. Roslin and Adama both told her goodnight. As she left with Dee, she could hear the girl telling the other woman, "Guess what, Mrs. Dee! I have a father!"

Roslin sighed and rubbed her eyes, resuming her seat on the couch. Adama retrieved glasses of water for both of them. "You okay?"

She took a drink of water and nodded. "I want to thank you for what you did back there. You didn't have to jump in like that," she commented quietly.

"You were in a bind and it was an acceptable answer," he responded.

She chewed her lip as her daughter had and faced him. "But I've put you in an awkward position."

_That wars would never start_

He shook his head and set his drink on the table. Then he cupped his hands around hers. "I didn't volunteer for something I wasn't willing to do. Truth is, I've come to see her as a daughter. Is that alright with you?"

Roslin gave him a teary smile, similar to the one she wore when she had promoted him. "That's perfect. You are… incredible, simply incredible."

_And time would heal all hearts_

Leaning forward, he kissed her warmly. "You should know by now that the two of you mean more to me than I have words for."

He noticed the hesitation in her eyes as she extracted her hands from his and sat back against the couch. "I don't know what to tell her when she's older. She'll have questions, especially in her teen years."

She felt his hand under her chin as he directed her eyes back to his. "Then we'll answer them together."

_And everyone would have a friend_

"Evie will never know that she's a clone. If she ever found out, it would break her heart and I refuse to do that to her," Roslin conveyed.

"I agree. She has my eyes anyway," Adama responded, kissing her again.

_And right would always win_

One hand slipped around her back while the other got lost in her hair. Hers found their way around his neck. The intensity of the kiss increased and she moaned. They broke for air. He pulled her to her feet, his lips descending on hers again with gentle passion. She deepened the kiss, one hand around his back while the other fingered the buttons of his uniform.

_And love would never end, oh_

They broke for air, resting their foreheads together. "I think we're alone now," he whispered.

"We certainly are," she said with a grin, pulling him along with her.

_This is my grown up Christmas list_

They explored each other as they had not since the evening of Baltar's verdict. He held her as she fell asleep and his mind came to a resolution. Somehow he was going to propose: the quest was how.

_This is my grown up Christmas list_

(A/N: Due to holiday preparations and projects, I am unable to post until next week. This humble author begs your holiday good spirits not to throw snowballs at me as I attempt to finish things as quickly as I can)

(My thanks to Mariel3, caramelapples, miss mcGonagle, LilStrawbaby, and Tharasia for reviewing :D)


	30. Cylon problems

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is by The Animals.

Chapter 30: Cylon problems

Tigh was still searching for Baltar long after his shift would have ended. He led his security team down corridor after corridor looking for the annoying man. Frustrated, he headed back to CIC to check the DRADIS. While he was there, the phone rang. "XO."

"Colonel, I have someone I think you're looking for," Chief Tyrol relayed, looking down at Baltar, who sat tied up on the floor.

_Baby, do you understand me now_

Baltar had decided that he could hide better on another ship and had sneaked down to the docking bay to steal a Raptor. Tyrol had gone to the docking bay earlier than usual because he could not sleep and wanted to check on the ships. He spotted Baltar attempting to board a Raptor.

_Sometimes I feel a little mad_

Tigh and the security team were there a few minutes after he had received the call. They arrested Baltar and Tigh decided to call Adama.

The admiral was snoring peacefully with both arms around Roslin as she slept with her head on his chest, dark auburn hair casually falling everywhere. He groaned, hearing the phone ring. Then he cleared his throat. "Adama. Where? Is he in the brig now? Thanks."

_But don't you know that no one alive_

Roslin snuggled closer to him and pulled the blanket over her head. "Whoever it is, tell them to call back in ten minutes," she mumbled.

_Can always be an angel_

He pulled the blankets back and kissed the top of her head. "That was Saul. Baltar's back in custody."

"That's good news," she stated, sitting up and drawing the covers around her.

"Just leaves Zarek," Adama remarked.

"We're in for a long day, aren't we? Roslin assessed.

He sighed, but then smirked. "Probably."

They showered and dressed before Dee was called to bring Evie by. Since Dee had a shift in CIC, it was decided that Evie would stay in CIC as well with Adama. Roslin listened as Evie told her about the ships on the table while they waited for Zarek to dock.

"This ship carries people. And that one has food and other stuff on it. These little ones are Vipers," Evie explained, pointing to the different vessels.

Roslin smiled. "That's very good, sweetie. Which one is like the ship we're on now?"

Evie's eyes scanned the table. "That one," she remarked, pointing to the Battlestar. Adama watched the two and grinned.

"Yes," Roslin responded.

The phone rang and Adama picked it up. Then he looked over at Tigh. "Zarek should be docking soon. Why don't you take a security team and greet him?"

_When things go wrong I seem to be bad_

"Are we arresting him?" the colonel inquired.

"No. I want him escorted to the board room first," the admiral answered.

_But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good_

Tigh nodded and left, muttering something about 'giving that frakking terrorist what he finally deserved.' Roslin hugged Evie. "I have to work now. Be good while I'm gone, alright?"

_Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood_

"Yes, Mommy," Evie responded.

Roslin looked over at Adama. "I'll be waiting for him in the board room." Then she turned to her aide. "Please go with the colonel and escort Mr. Zarek to the board room."

"Yes ma'am," Tory replied, dashing off to catch up with Tigh.

Half an hour later, Roslin called CIC. "Admiral, Zarek isn't here yet. Is there a problem?"

He frowned on his end. "I'll call the docking bay and look into it," he stated. Chief Tyrol was not available. On a hunch, Adama also called the brig, but no one answered.

_Baby, sometimes I'm so carefree_

Evie walked over to him, hearing him sigh. "What's happening?"

_With a joy that's hard to hide_

He kneeled down to her level. "I need you to stay here and be good. Can you do that?" he requested. She nodded and he stood. "Helo, it's yours. I'm going to find out what's going on."

Adama headed straight to the brig. As he turned down the corridor, he could see that the door was closed and began to jog to it. Yanking the door open, he found the guard who had been watching Baltar breathing hard over a desk, rubbing a red welt on his neck. In the cell where Baltar had been placed, Tigh, Anders, Tyrol, Tory, and Zarek stood in a circle, kicking Baltar as he was lying on the floor in a bloody heap.

_And sometimes it seems that all I have do is worry_

"That's enough, all of you," Adama shouted. Everyone froze and looked over at him. "Does anyone want to tell me what this is all about?"

Zarek answered. "We were told to kill the traitor."

"We caught him trying to strangle the guard with a shoelace," Tigh added.

"Move back," the admiral ordered. "Is he still alive?"

"Unfortunately," Tyrol answered.

Adama reached for the phone and called Life Station. "Jack, I need a stretcher and a medical team down here."

_Then you're bound to see my other side_

The medical team took Baltar to Life Station while Adama had the others placed in the brig. Anders and Tyrol were in one cell as Tigh, Zarek, and Tory were in the other cell. "I'm leaving you all here until we know if Baltar can survive his injuries. I know as well as the rest of you that he's not worth the doctor's effort, but we are not going to act like a bunch of barbarians. We are going to act as the better side of humanity and use justice."

He called Roslin from the brig. "Madame President, your meeting will have to wait a while. Our five friends decided to kick the crap out of Baltar. Now they're all in the brig until I find out if he'll survive his injuries."

"I'm on my way. I'd like to ask them a few questions. Where is Evie?" she inquired.

"In CIC. They can look after her for a few minutes," he responded.

Shortly Roslin arrived, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked the length of the room. Then she crosser her arms and faced the inmates. "I want to know what exactly is going on," she said evenly.

_But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good_

Tory spoke. "Madame President, we were ordered to kill the traitor."

"I realize that. However, we are now presented with a problem. How can we ever trust any of you again? How can we be sure that this won't happen again?" Roslin questioned.

Zarek stepped forward. "Laura, I know that it looks bad for us right now, but I'm fairly certain that this was our only order."

_Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood_

She turned the full wrath of her gaze onto him. "Tom, you've got a lot of explaining to do. How long have you known that you were a Cylon?"

"Since the others found out. I was called to the same place that they all were and I was standing outside of the door. I know you're upset because I should've said something sooner. You have every right to airlock me at the moment, but I'm asking that you don't. My loyalties," he paused and looked at the others, "our loyalties belong to humanity and this fleet. I know it's asking a lot from both of you to trust us, but the fact is that you need our help to keep things running," Zarek explained.

"We'll get back to you," Roslin retorted, leading Adama outside.

"Much as I hate to admit it, he's right. The Cylon prisoner said that they were only given that one order," Adama reminded.

Roslin chewed her lower lip and then faced him. "You really want to risk the fleet on something a dying enemy told you? They had marines watching them, and somehow they managed to lose all of them. Unless Jack can find a way to nullify the programming, we can't trust anything."

The pensive look in her eyes said so many things to him. Mostly, she was worried about the destruction of the fleet from the inside. There was also her daughter to consider. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. The corridor was empty as he rested one hand on her shoulder. "Laura, you are not alone in this. We are going to find a solution and Evie will be safe."

She looked up at him and impulsively hugged him. He held her for a moment, letting her collect herself. Then she backed away and straightened up, professionalism back in place. "Perhaps we could have Jack examine the blonde Cylon. He could use her as the test subject."

He considered her plan. "Our technology might not be able to do that though."

A small smile spread over her face. "But I know whose can."

Mason was sitting at her desk in her office, drumming her fingers against the cool smooth surface as she waited for Arlington to tell her more about the list she had found. She had drained her third cup of coffee for the day when the transmission came through, audio only. "General Mason, this is President Roslin."

"_Madame President, how may I help you_?" the general inquired.

"I am speaking with you over a secure channel at the moment. It is a matter that concerns our Cylons. With your technology, do you have a way of finding out what their programming is and possible erasing it?" Roslin asked.

_If I seem edgy I want you to know_

"_At the moment, we don't have that sort of information. But that does not mean that we can't find it. I'll need to take one of the S.O.A.s to our sick bay and let one of our research doctors doe a few scans_," Mason replied.

Roslin felt a wave of relief on her end. "In that case, we will be sending you our Cylon prisoner, along with Dr. Cottle."

Mason left her office and stepped onto the bridge, seeking out the colonel. "_I'll be meeting Dr. Cottle and one of their S.O.A.s in a minute. They want to know more about the programming. First I need to explain things to our Traherne though_," she whispered.

"_It sounds reasonable. Have we heard back from Arlington_?" Chang inquired.

The general shook her head. "_No, but I'm not surprised. With new staff members, his information network is not what it used to be_."

"_He hasn't let us down before_," the colonel reminded.

_That I never mean to take it out on you_

She smiled politely and looked out at the viewscreen, eyes on the station and the Colonial fleet. "_You have the bridge, Colonel_."

"_Yes, sir_," he responded.

Mason strolled off the bridge and took the pod-like elevator to sickbay. As she passed through the doors, the chief medical officer looked up at her from where he was inspecting his instruments. He was a man of routine, and part of that routine was to make certain that the instruments were functioning every morning before patients arrived. Dr. Malcolm Traherne had joined the ship recently. He had small dark beady eyes, but a warm friendly smile, caramel hair, and a patient beside manner.

"_General Mason, did you need something_?" he asked.

She walked over to him. "Have you heard about our interstellar guests?" she paused and he nodded. "_They have a few S.O.A.s and they want us to scan one of them to see if the programming can be changed_."

Traherne ran his right index finger over his upper lip. "_Hmm, we never pursued that avenue. It's going to take a multi-cellular bio-electric scan. How long until they arrive_?"

"_Probably an hour_," she stated.

"_I'll make the necessary preparations and see that the scanner is set up, sir_," he relayed.

She nodded. "_Thank you_."

Cottle arrived in the docking bay with Six and one marine. "Now you be good as long as we're here," the doctor instructed, having spotted Mason approaching.

The general smiled politely at the group. "_Welcome to the Odyssey. You'll be accompanying me to sickbay. Major Cottle, you'll finally get a chance to see some of our equipment_."

Six was taken by the marine, who had hold of her elbow, while Cottle walked with Mason. "What are we looking at?"

"_My chief medical officer mentioned a multi-cellular bio-electric scan_," she relayed.

He glanced back at the Cylon and sighed. "Do you really think it'll work?"

"_If not, we'll keep trying until we find something that does_," Mason stated resolutely.

The Cylon noticed the exchange between the two, the glances, the smirks. "You won't find what you're looking for," she remarked cryptically.

_Life has it's problems and I get my share_

Mason looked back and studied the blonde Cylon. "_I beg your pardon_?"

"There are boundaries that would have to be stepped over. I don't think you're the one to do it," she commented. Mason caught the double meaning of the statement.

"Don't listen. Cylons speak in riddles," Cottle told Mason.

They stopped walking in front of sickbay. Mason looked back at the Cylon and spoke. "_Let me make something clear to you: this is my ship and there are certain kinds of behavior t__hat I don't tolerate_."

_And that's one thing I never meant to do_

Seeing her authority, Cottle understood why she was called 'sir' among her own people. Traherne smiled and greeted everyone with a handshake. "Come in and we'll get this set up," he began.

He led the Cylon over to one of five beds and had her lay down as her arms and legs were restrained. Then he attached round electronic devices to her head the temples. From his console, he could control a scanning device that would sweep back and forth. Cottle's gaze moved from the Cylon to look at the rest of the room. The other four beds were at the sides of the room, each with a console sitting in front of them and a smaller overhead scanning device. Instead of the antiseptic smell that he had expected, the room smelled more like air freshener.

"_You're welcome to look around if you like. This is probably going to take a few hours. General, I will contact you when I have finished_," Traherne remarked.

"_Thank you, Doctor. When you have time, would you give Dr. Cottle here a tour of sickbay_?" Mason requested.

Traherne nodded. "_Of course_."

"_Major, if you'd follow me_," she began, motioning toward the door. The marine remained as Cottle followed her.

"Gonna give me the grand tour?" he asked with a smirk when they were in the hall.

"_Something like that. Would you like to see the bridge_?" she offered, being the good hostess.

He reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and removed a small rectangular box. "Actually I've got a deck of cards. I accidentally left the back in there the last time I wore this particular lab coat."

_Because I love you_

"_In that case, the bridge is on the way to my quarters_," she mentioned.

They took the pod-elevator, Cottle's gaze remaining on his worn brown boots. "Damned shoe box," Mason heard him mumble.

"_I'm sorry. These things aren't as forgiving as they should be if you're claustrophobic_," she remarked.

_Oh, Oh baby don't you know I'm human_

He faced her and raised an eyebrow. "It's that obvious?"

"_Yeah. You learn to get used to it. At least it's well-lit. I won't ride in this if one of the lights burns out_," she admitted.

As the pod-elevator eased to a stop, he sighed with relief and they exited, stepping onto the bridge. "_General on deck_," Chang announced.

"_At ease_," Mason stated. She smiled at Cottle and then faced her crew. "_This is Dr. Cottle from the ship Galactica. I'm giving him a tour of the ship. This is the bridge, and this is my XO, Colonel Chang_," she introduced, gesturing toward him.

Cottle shook his hand, then watched with curiosity as the other man seemed to study him thoroughly, like a protective older brother. Mason cleared her throat and Chang smiled politely. "_Welcome aboard, Dr. Cottle_."

"You have a good ship," Cottle returned.

Mason pointed out consoles and scanning systems before leading him out of the bridge and into the hall. "_My quarters are just a few doors down_," she explained.

She turned a handle after typing in a code on a key pad and pushed the door into the slot. He followed her into the room and then she closed the door. "_Lights_," she called out. Overhead lights flickered on and Cottle's gaze swept over the room.

A metallic black square table faced the wall to one side in the kitchen area, which contained metallic black counters, as well as a chrome square with an electronic pad by it and a small screen that text could fit across. He figured that it was some sort of heating device that he barely recognized.

"_I cook in that. The panel lets me scroll down to exactly what I'm cooking and it's programmed with the settings to most of Earth's cuisines_," Mason explained.

"Can it make coffee?" he questioned.

She grinned and walked over to a black cylinder. "_Have a seat and I'll get you a cup_."

He obliged her and watched as she pressed a few buttons on the panel next to the cylinder. The device raised itself up and she opened a cabinet to remove two white mugs. When she placed a mug under the cylinder, hot dark liquid poured out. She repeated the process and sat down at the table, placing one mug in front of him. He took a small sip of the coffee.

"Not bad. We're going to need it if you expect me to teach you anything," he remarked, placing the deck of cards on the table.

She took a sip and smiled back. "_Then let the games begin_."

To her surprise, he pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. He told her that it contained the rank to the symbols on the cards from greatest to least, and the tally marks were the numerical value. She picked the game up quickly, but was unable to beat him for the first three rounds. On the fourth, she finally succeeded. Then she took a moment to call sickbay. After finding out that the Cylon was still being scanned, she returned to the card game. Two rounds later, she refilled their coffee cups.

_Have thoughts like any other one_

"_I think you were right. This card game definitely makes our list_," she relayed.

He smirked. "You're not bad at it either. I remember you saying that you had something else I could add to the list."

As she thought for a moment, the mischievous look returned to her face. "_I'll be right back_," she stated as she left the dining area and passed through another door. She returned shortly with a small rectangular box. It contained four balls of something dark and brown.

"Don't tell me these are marbles," Cottle commented.

She snorted and shook her head, sitting again. "_These are chocolate truffles_." Removing the plastic lid, she waved the box in front of him and he eyed it appreciatively. "_Here_," she said, handing him one in a crinkled golden wrapper.

Unwrapping it, he took a bite and his eyes opened wide. "I didn't know they could make things like this."

She grinned, watching him finish it. "_Would you like another one_?"

"As good as that was, if I took you up on that offer, I'd have cavities for the rest of my life and at this point I'd like to keep my teeth since they're all real," he explained.

_Sometimes I find myself long regretting_

Her elbow rested vertically on the table with her fist supporting her chin. "_So does it make the list_?"

_Some foolish thing some little simple thing I've done_

"Absolutely," he responded with a smirk.

They both stood and he glanced around the room to notice a couch and a bookcase. However, what caught his eyes were the four paintings of mountain scenes on her four walls. "How can these just hang on your walls like that? I would think they could fall off."

"_They have industrial magnets on the frames. The walls on the ship are metal, so with the magnets, the paintings won't fall off during an attack_," she replied.

"Are these all of the same area?" he inquired.

She smiled, remembering the time she spent there. "_Yes. They're from a place in Colorado. You aren't the only one who likes the mountains_."

_But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good_

"And where is Colorado? For all I know, it's a moon," he reminded.

She blushed. "_You have a point. It's a state which is part of a country that sits on a continent. When we have more time, I can show you a map of Earth_."

"Does the area have homes and cabins?" he probed and she nodded. He made his way over to one of the pictures where a few cabins sat among the dense pine trees. "I might just retire to a place like this some day."

"_If you moved there, you'd end up being my neighbor_," she pointed out with a wry smile.

_Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood_

He looked her over. "You don't look like the type to be borrowing sugar."

She gave him an almost sultry smile. "_There are other things in life to borrow_."

_Yes, I'm just a soul whose intentions are good_

Before he could respond, her pocket communicator beeped. They could return to sickbay for the results of the scan. As they entered sickbay, Dr. Traherne handed Mason a report on an electronic notepad. The blonde Cylon was sitting up with the marine still watching her.

"_We have isolated the programming and nullified it. This device here_," he paused and pointed to the circular device near her right temple, "_has been modified to look for the encryption codes. The S.O.A.s have developed an amazing technology, but ours is still more advanced_," Traherne explained. Then he looked at Cottle and gave him one of the devices, along with a sketch of the key sequence needed for the procedure. "_Take it back with you. If you have other S.O.A.s it may come in handy_."

Cottle nodded. "Thank you."

Mason had other ideas as she scrutinized the small device. "_Can it be amplified to use on a large scale_?"

Traherne raised an eyebrow. "_Easily_."

She turned toward Cottle. "_We may have a new weapon when your 'friends' show up_."

"_General, they should get their S.O.A. back to their ship. There is a time limit before the disease sets in. She only has half an hour left_," Traherne mentioned.

She nodded and walked with Cottle as the marine and the Cylon headed toward the docking bay. After the others had boarded the Raptor, Cottle turned back to Mason. "With the new food we have, I've got the urge to try experimenting in the kitchen again. Could I persuade you to join me?"

"_Is that your way of asking me to dinner_?" she inquired with a smirk.

"I suppose," he replied.

"_You know, I think my neck could use another examination_," she answered.

_Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood_

He chuckled as he walked over to the doorway. Then he turned back to her one last time. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "It's not hard to figure out who wears the pants on your ship, General."

"_It is my ship after all_," she quipped smugly as they left.

On her way back to the bridge, Chang contacted her. "_Sir, Arlington has the list. He wants to speak with you in your office_."

"_Tell him I'll be there shortly_," she mentioned.

When she reached her office, she seated herself at the desk and faced the monitor to see Arlington. "_Well Deidre, we were right. Cormac has been using your brother to extort money and other resources from all of the people running against him for president_."

"_Thanks, Travis. I owe Vivian a chat. Do you have proof_?" Mason pursued.

She saw him hold up another electronic notepad. "_I have eye-witness accounts and direct words from all of the other people on the list, as well as the notations in their import and export records_."

Mason contacted the vice president, hoping that Mendoza was not a part of this new scandal. She was greeted by Mendoza's warm smile as she sat, pristine in her grape dress suit. "_Deidre, it's good to see you. What can I do for you_?"

The other woman sighed. "_Vivian, as nice as it is to talk with you again, I'm afraid this is more than a social call. I have proof that Cormac's been using my brother to extort money and resources from his competition_."

Mendoza looked down and scowled. "_I knew he was up to something. I just never dreamed it would be something like this. How did you find all of this out_?"

"_Someone from my brother's crew dropped a list while I was at Orion Station. Arlington helped me figure out what it was a list of_," Mason replied.

The vice president mulled over the information in her head, then looked back at Mason. "_What were you doing at Orion Station? I thought you were still on patrol of the outer rim_."

"_I was, but then I found something that needed my attention_," Mason began. She explained more about _Galactica_ and the Colonials as she sent the scanning data and other information to Mendoza. "_Cormac won't let them come to Earth at the moment. I was thinking that they could resettle on Mars, and possibly fix the civil unrest over there_."

Mendoza smiled. "_I think it's a fantastic idea. You have my go-ahead on it. I'll see that this 'list' business is met by the proper channels. I promise you, justice will be done_."

"_Thank you, Vivian. I hope some day to find your name on the ballot for president_." The transmission ended. Mason sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap, sighing at the mess that politics tended to become. She wondered how Cottle was fairing with his S.O.A. situation.

Cottle had docked and the blonde Cylon had been escorted back to the brig. He had asked Adama and Roslin to meet him there. "How did your visit go, Jack?" Adama asked him as they stepped through the door and into the brig.

"It was informative. They put the Cylon through an intense scan and found the programming. And then they used this little device to nullify it," he mentioned, holding up the device for inspection.

Roslin lifted the object from his hand and fingered it gently, careful not to press any buttons. "How soon can we use it on the other five?"

"From what I understand, if I use the codes they gave me, it should be a fairly quick process. What took time on Mason's ship was the scanning and analysis. Apparently programming these things doesn't take very long," Cottle explained.

"Then gentlemen, what are we waiting for?" Roslin encouraged.

The blonde Cylon spoke up from her cell. "I still have to stay here, don't I?" she assessed, the gloom in her voice evident.

"For the moment," Adama responded.

"I've been deprogrammed. I could help you locate the Cylons. You know that they're following you," she reminded.

Roslin crossed her arms. "What would be in it for you?"

"I wouldn't be in this cell," Six added.

The president walked out, followed by the other two. "You'll have to do something with her eventually," Cottle mentioned.

"I don't right now," Roslin told him.

They decided to let the matter drop for the moment and walked to the part of the brig housing the other five. They looked at the others, rising to their feet. Roslin stepped forward. "We have a way to get rid of your programming. If you would allow us to complete the procedure, which won't take long, we can release you back into the fleet."

_Yes, I'm just a soul whose intentions are good_

"What if it gives us all brain damage?" Anders argued.

Cottle walked over to them. "From what I understand of it, all it does is nullify your programming. You'll all be fine."

Zarek looked at the others and then faced Roslin. He was a politician these days, as well as a pragmatist. "I for one don't want to be in this cell another minute. I've got too many civilian matters to muddle through with the Sagittarians finally overcoming the virus and the redistribution of other food. I'll go first."

_Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood_

Roslin dealt him a wry smile. He had indeed learned how to be a politician. Cottle attached the device to Zarek's temple and pushed in the codes. Tigh was the next volunteer, along with Tory. Then Tyrol followed and at last Anders complied. After their release, Cottle returned to Life Station to find Baltar stable. Adama and Roslin returned to CIC where Evie had spend the day, entertaining the crew once in a while with her questions.

(My thanks to caramelapples, Tchi, miss mcGonagle, Mariel3, and max72 for reviewing :D)


	31. Renaming and realizations

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Eric's Song" is by Vienna Teng, from nnaylime's montage. My apologies for the long wait on this chapter.

Chapter 31: Renaming and realizations

Evie had been coloring by Dee and looked up when they entered. "Mommy! Bill!" she exclaimed, running over to both of them. Roslin scooped the girl up in her arms.

"Hello, sweetie. What did you do today?" her mother asked.

The girl glanced over at Dee. "Mrs. Dee showed me how the ship flies on the screen. And Mr. Helo told me about engines. And Mr. Felix told me not to touch anything."

_Strange how you know inside me  
I measure the time and I stand amazed_

"That's because Mr. Felix is a wet blanket," Dee commented wryly, to which Gaeta rolled his eyes.

Adama chuckled and mussed her hair. "Sounds like you had fun. I've got to finish out my shift, so I'll be here a little longer."

_Strange how I know inside you  
My hand is outstretched toward the damp of the haze_

"That's fine. If you'll excuse me, Admiral, I have some paperwork that needs reading," she mentioned. Then she stepped closer and quietly added, "see you at dinner," before walking out, holding Evie.

The food distribution was almost complete and the fleet would be moving on within the next day. Roslin ordered dinner from the mess hall after hearing the menu over the phone. "Mommy, please no potatoes," Evie requested.

_And of course I forgive  
I've seen how you live_

Roslin smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Don't worry, sweetie. It's something you'll like."

The president sat at Adama's desk pouring over paperwork while Evie looked at pictures of space ships from the Colonial history book. After a while, the little girl stood and wandered over to her mother. Roslin looked over at the girl inquisitively. "Where did Bill and you go today?" Evie asked.

After pondering the best way to explain the situation, Roslin knew what to say. "We found a way to make the shiny men confused."

_Like a phoenix you rise from the ashes_

"They won't hurt us anymore?" Evie questioned with a yawn.

Roslin smiled warmly and pulled the girl into her lap. "No sweetie, they won't hurt us anymore."

Evie yawned again. "When's Bill coming back?"

"He'll be home for dinner," her mother answered. The girl in her arms blinked and rubbed her eyes. "You didn't get a nap today, did you?" When Evie shook her head, Roslin carried her and put her to bed in Adama's rack before finishing some of the reports. As she worked, Roslin hoped that he would not be late.

_You pick up the pieces  
And the ghosts in the attic  
They never quite leave_

Dinner arrived just before the admiral. Though the young man from the mess hall was surprised to see the president there, he did not comment on it. Adama had left CIC in charge of Tigh at the shift change. When he entered his quarters, he found Roslin setting the table and the food waiting for them.

"Where's Evie?" he inquired.

Roslin looked up and smiled at him. "She's taking a nap. All of us have had quite a day."

"So it seems. It's good to have Saul back in CIC. It just doesn't feel right without him," Adama admitted. "I'm surprised you haven't insisted on going back to _Colonial One_ lately."

Roslin walked over to him and leaned up to kiss him softly. "Actually, not having dinner here with you wouldn't feel right. I was worried that you might be late."

_And of course I forgive  
You've seen how I live_

He cupped her left cheek with his right hand, brushing it with his thumb. "I would've called."

"I know," she responded. Then they parted and she looked back at the bedroom. "I should wake Evie up for dinner with her mother and father."

Adama grinned at the last part of her statement. "I've been thinking, wouldn't you say it's time she stopped calling me 'Bill' and called me something more appropriate?"

Roslin raised an eyebrow as she uncovered the warm dishes. "Like what?"

He took a deep breath. "'Bill' is your name for me. She needs something else."

Stepping back to ponder what he had said, Roslin nodded. "You know, I think you're right. We can talk about it during dinner."

_I've got darkness and fears to appease_

She went back to wake Evie up, who insisted on walking out of the room instead of being carried. The girl stared at dinner, as if she could analyze the contents by sight alone. "What are you looking for?" Adama inquired.

"Potatoes. I don't like them," Evie explained.

Finally satisfied that dinner did not include potatoes, she sat and smiled. The other two took their seats and Roslin dished up Evie's plate. "I told you it would be something you like."

Dinner was a simple affair of broccoli, carrots, teriyaki chicken, and applesauce. White rice sat in a bowl off to the side for starch. They quietly enjoyed their food for a while. As Evie finished her meal, she looked over at Roslin. "Mommy, this was really yummy."

"It's called real food," Adama joked. Roslin laughed and Evie looked on in puzzlement before drinking her water.

After the meal, Evie went to the bookcase to find one of the cultural mythology books. She could find it because it was the only long yellow book in the lower shelves. As Adama and Roslin sat on the couch, Evie wandered over and handed Adama the book. "Will you please read to me, Bill?"

He smiled at her and pulled her up on the couch to sit between them. "Sure. But first, your mother has something to say."

Roslin nodded. "Sweetie, you don't have to keep calling him 'Bill.' He's your father and like you call me 'Mommy,' fathers have other names too."

_My voices and analogies  
Ambitions like ribbons  
Worn bright on my sleeve_

Evie's brow furrowed in confusion. "Like what?"

"Like 'Dad,' or 'Daddy,' or 'Papa.' We let you call him 'Bill' because we weren't sure if you would want him as a father," Roslin explained.

_Strange how we know each other_

"Oh," Evie responded. Then she looked over at Adama. "Can I call you 'Papa?'"

"Yeah, that sounds good," he answered.

Roslin cleared her throat, the teacher in her sneaking through again. "It's 'may I.'"

Adama began to read about Persephone and Hades. Roslin listened, sitting back on the couch. The rumble of his voice was so comforting that she began to doze off. Evie looked over at her mother and giggled softly. She tapped Adama on the arm and pointed. "Papa, I think Mommy missed her nap time too."

_Strange how I fit into you  
There's a distance erased with the greatest of ease_

Adama reached over and brushed Roslin's dark auburn hair behind her ear. She stirred and blinked. "Why don't you head off to bed while I finish the story?" he offered.

She stretched and stood. "That's probably a good idea, since my nightgown's here anyway."

After going to bed, she woke a while later as Adama joined her. "Evie wanted the couch. She said that her bear was more comfortable there," he mentioned.

Roslin yawned and curled up with him. "That's fine. Goodnight, Bill."

He kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight, Laura."

Morning came and the two woke to the refreshing sound of his alarm, opposed to a phone call. Roslin stretched behind her and turned it off. "I suppose it's time to start the day."

"Something like that. You go ahead and shower first. I'll check on Evie," Adama volunteered.

_Strange how you fit into me  
A gentle warmth filling the deepest of needs_

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, letting her out. Before she moved to take her shower, she kissed him on the cheek. "Maybe this idea of us staying here is actually workable."

While she showered, he dressed and walked over to Evie. She had one arm hanging out from under the blanket and the bear had found its way to the other end of the couch. "Evie," he called. "Evie, it's time to get up."

The girl blinked and yawned before sitting up. "Morning Bill- I mean Papa."

"Good morning," he replied with a warm grin.

He and Evie fixed pancakes and he headed for his shower as Roslin joined them. When he returned, as Roslin was brushing the girl's hair, Evie asked, "Where am I going today?"

Roslin stopped and looked up at him. "Since we know who all the Cylons are, she could actually return to day care."

Adama thought for a moment. "That's true, but I'd prefer having Dee watch her again."

_And with each passing day  
The stories we say_

"Alright," Roslin agreed. They phoned Dee and the younger woman came over to baby-sit while Roslin went to the beginning of her meetings for the day and Adama headed to CIC.

_Draw us tighter into our addiction_

The ships had finished supply distribution and were ready to leave the station. Not long after his shift started, the _Odyssey_ sent a transmission. "Put it through," the admiral stated.

Mason's face appeared. "_Admiral Adama, I have good news. I've spoken to our vice president. We have her permission to take you to Mars for resettlement. Your fleet may follow my ship if you like_."

"It sounds reasonable. I need to speak with the president first," he mentioned.

The general nodded. "_Of course. We'll wait for your reply_," she stated as the screen faded.

_Confirm our conviction  
That some kind of miracle_

Roslin was in the middle of a Quorum meeting when she received the phone call. As they were evaluating the current fleet status, Tory approached her. "Madame President, the admiral is on the phone."

She stood to answer it. "Yes, Admiral?"

"This is a private line. Mason just told us that she has the okay to take us to Mars. I wanted to ask you first," he stated.

"I'm at a meeting with the Quorum. It would be a good time to get a vote on this. I think we should go ahead, but I need to tell them. I'll call you after I get a vote," she responded.

_Passed on our heads_

"That's fine. I hope they listen to you," he added before hanging up his end.

Roslin turned to face the Quorum, smiling at them. Even Zarek was at this meeting. "I'm glad that so many of you are here today. I know that we have lots of other business to go through, but I need your vote on something of great importance at the moment," she paused to look from one end of the group to the other.

_And how I am sure  
Like never before_

"The government of the United Earth Alliance has given us permission to settle on Mars, the closest habitable planet to Earth. There are only a thousand people on the planet. From what I understand, we would be allowed to settle and maintain our own government. Earth is right next door to this planet. I think settling here would be best for our colonies. Now since I have all twelve represented, I am asking for your vote. Raise your hand if we will be settling on Mars," she requested.

_Of my reasons for defying reason_

Everyone seemed to deliberate with his or her neighbor and there was a furious murmur of noise in the room. Zarek noticed the hesitancy and stepped forward. He cleared his throat and everyone looked over at him. "Do you trust your admiral?" he asked. There was a collective nodding. "Do you trust your president?" more nodding. "It is their decision from negotiations with the commanding officer of the _Odyssey_, the ship that has helped us, that settling on Mars would be good for us," he paused and raised his right hand. "I say we do this. Earth is one planet with billions of people already. We are forty thousand plus and growing. My vote is for Mars."

_Embracing the seasons  
We dance through the colors  
Both followed and led_

Roslin tried to retain her professional calm as she watched all of the Quorum members slowly raise their right hands. She called the admiral back, a smile beaming on her face. "Bill, we're going to Mars."

While Adama spoke to Mason and the fleet began to follow her ship toward their new home, newspapers had been circulating among the guards who took turns watching Six. It was during a shift change as he guards were joking with each other that one removed a paper.

"You wouldn't believe the sort of scandal that's out there this time," one began.

_Strange how we fit each other_

"Like what?" the one with the pencil moustache asked.

"Baltar's been having affairs with at least five women. The paper's talking about this cult that's been uncovered. Baltar has a following of women," he said.

_Strange how certain the journey  
Time unfolds the petals  
For our eyes to see_

The other one chuckled. "Too bad for them he's in Life Station. I don't know what he's got, but I wish I had some of it."

"Me too," the guard joked.

_Strange how this journey's hurting  
In ways we accept as part of fate's decree_

Six sat on her cot with her arms crossed, glaring angrily at the guards as tears ran down her cheeks. Ignoring the Baltar in her head, she began to make threats in her head from strangling to shooting and airlocking. Then she directed her wrath toward the lock and realized that being a Cylon, she was stronger than a human. Perhaps she could break something in the locking mechanism.

While the guards gossiped over the paper, Six slowly bent the locking mechanism and pulled out part of it. She slipped through the door and tried to walk lower than the desk as she made her way to the door. She managed to open the door and dash out, but the guard in the chair realized that the door was open. And quickly they were in pursuit of her. She needed a hat. Being tall and blonde made her too conspicuous, especially as a very recognizable Cylon.

She ducked into a room to hide from the guards and found herself in a storage closet. In it were extra military fatigues and hats. She quickly changed and sneaked out, knowing where to go. Life Station was not hard to find. She simply had to wait for the right time to act. Waiting in a closet of glass beakers and microscopes as well as other various chemicals, she cracked the door opened and listened to the normal bustle of things. She watched as Dr. Cottle left eventually.

Cottle had called over to the Odyssey and Mason was in a small shuttle, on her way over for dinner. With the new supplies, he was actually able to prepare noodles with red sauce, salad, and garlic bread. Tyrol called him from the docking bay when her shuttle arrived, as he had requested.

Mason stepped out of the shuttle and immediately sought out Cottle. Her excuse had been to evaluate some of the medical supplies. "He'll be here soon, Ma'am," Tyrol mentioned.

She studied the stocky man, realizing that with him, 'ma'am' was a genuine term of respect. "_Thank you. I'll wait_," she responded.

Cottle appeared moments later. "I take it you're here for medical supplies?"

"No, I'm here to evaluate your other experiments. Of course I'm here for medical supplies." Though it was said sardonically, both had mischief in their eyes. He smirked and shook his head.

_So we just hold on fast  
Acknowledge the past_

She rolled her eyes when he offered her his arm, but took it anyway. They made the necessary detour to Life Station. He handed her a brief summary, which she could not read because it was not translated, but the rest of the personnel in the room did not know that. Then he asked her about some of the supplies and showed her how well others were working for them. The Six still hiding in the closet told her mental Baltar to shut up after he had commented on what a cute couple Mason and Cottle made. They paused by the real Baltar's bed as he explained briefly what had transpired.

"_That's the man who's caused you all so much trouble_?" she asked.

"He's good at getting inside your head, like the Cylons," he added quietly.

Then they left for his quarters. "_It's going to be over soon, Gaius. Here she comes_," the Six in his head mentioned, looking as the real Six entered his line of sight a while later.

Cottle had covered the food to keep it warm. As he dished up their plates, she removed her military uniform top to reveal a green floral, form-fitting blouse. "_I think our rouse worked_," she remarked.

"My staff didn't suspect a thing, and we did get some legitimate work done. They think I'm boring you to death with more reports," he stated as they sat down to dinner.

The noodles tasted excellent with the sauce and the salad was nicely crunchy. Though the garlic bread was slightly more done than he had intended, Mason did not notice and smiled appreciatively as she ate it. "So? How was the experiment?" he asked after the meal.

"_Very nice. To be honest, it's been quite a while since someone not related to me wanted to cook for me_," she replied.

"It's been a while since I had anything decent to cook with," he admitted wryly.

She smiled at him, twisting the last of her noodles around her fork. "_I believe a dinner of this sort would even make our list_."

"You could be right about that. What are we trying to get to?" he mentioned.

"_The top ten things that are better than smoking, of course, starting from the bottom. So far we have coffee, a good night's sleep, a neck rub, your card game, chocolate, and now a nice dinner_," she reminded.

They adjourned to his brown couch and he produced a bottle and two glasses. "_What's that_?" she asked.

He handed her a glass with an amber liquid in it. "It's called 'Ambrosia.' It's a lot better than some of the moonshine they've been making," Cottle commented.

"_Is this for medicinal purposes_?" she goaded him.

"It is if you're a witchdoctor," he told her with a smirk.

She took a sip and pondered the drink before drinking more. "_It's not bad. It reminds me of whiskey, but it's sweeter_."

_As lessons exquisitely crafted_

He took a gulp of his drink, watching as her gaze swept around his quarters. Instead of having paintings of mountain scenes, he had small photographs of himself on various camping trips. "_Where are all of these places_?" she probed.

"I used to camp on one of our worlds called Picon. It had a lot of military activity, but it also had some of the best mountain ranges," he answered.

She stood to look at a particular photograph of him fishing with the admiral. "_Do you miss it_?"

He stood and followed her. Seeing what picture she had found, he smiled fondly at it. "Yeah, a lot actually."

Setting her drink down on his desk, she straightened her stance and began to rub her neck. "_Since Mars has been terraformed, I hear that they have some nice mountains their. Of course I'm recommending that you take time to visit Earth though_."

"What does 'terraformed' mean?" he questioned, setting his drink down next to hers.

"_It's when a planet's environment is redeveloped to become habitable_," she explained. "_I promise Mars is better than just 'habitable_.'"

"I'm holding you to that. Is your neck still bothering you?" he asked.

She sighed. "_Yes. I can't seem to fix the problem_."

He walked behind her and gently placed his hands on her neck and shoulders, finding the knots. Then he began to rub them out. After a while, he spotted the problem. His hands left her neck and slid into her hair. Carefully he pulled out the pins and the band that held her hair in its severe bun. Then he fluffed it out slightly. Her hair was somewhat wavy and framed her face as it came to her shoulders.

"You'd probably have less neck problems if your hair style wasn't water-tight," he scolded lightly.

She looked at her reflection in one of the pots he had hanging in his kitchen. "_If I wore my hair like this, my crew would never call me 'sir' again,_" she retorted.

"Why do they call you 'sir?' I've got a pretty good idea, but I want to know why you seem to prefer it," he inquired.

"_It's a show of respect. I've worked hard to earn my rank, and I run a tight ship. The title of 'sir' suits me because it lets them know who's in charge_," she informed him.

"If the people on your ship can't tell by now that you're in charge, then they're morons," he informed her.

She laughed and looked at the other objects on his desk. It was not the pens, files, or any more photographs that had caught her attention. An etching of someone performing surgery stood out on an oval plate of a metal that reminded her of copper. It reminded her of a shield. "_What's this_?"

He smiled as he noticed what she had seen. "A friend of mine made that for me a long time ago when I graduated from medical school. You meet a lot of people in the service from every background you can imagine. The guy was a real artist when it came to sheets of metal. He just figured that he'd never make any money off it and decided to make bullets," Cottle relayed.

_Painstakingly drafted  
To carve ourselves instruments  
That play the music of life_

"_What happened to him_?" she inquired.

For a brief moment, she noticed a faded look in his eyes. "He died in the first Cylon war. No matter what kind of pictures people paint, war is an ugly thing that takes its toll one way or another."

She nodded with understanding. "_We have an old saying on Earth: Come home with your shield or on it_."

"That actually sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't remember what it means," he commented.

Picking up her drink, she returned to the couch. "_It means that you either defend yourself honorably in battle and come back alive because if a victory, or you die honorably and are carried home on top of your shield. Most people on Earth have forgotten it. I heard it in a history class have even used it a few times. I consider it good luck, in a strange way. Either way you do what's honorable_."

Rejoining her with his own drink, he studied her for a while. She was bound and determined to help them by first finding supplies for them, and then leading them to Mars. "When I first met you, I thought you were a nut, and a pain in the neck. Now you're only stubborn mischievous, and also honorable in your own way. I'm getting soft in my old age."

_For we don't realize  
Our faith in the prize_

She chuckled. "_You've called me a 'pain in the neck,' but that doesn't seem to fit you, considering that you've been helping my neck_," she remarked, taking a long drink. "_I suppose I should find you a better nickname than 'Major_.'"

He grinned deviously and she raised an eyebrow. "Since I can't be a pain in your neck, I suppose I'll have to settle for being a pain in your ass."

She choked on her drink and glared at him as he chuckled. Just then the phone rang. He jumped up to answer it and she watched him with concern. "What do you mean he's dead? She what? Are you serious? I'll be right there," he grumbled, hanging up the phone. Then he took a deep breath. "Damn."

"_What's wrong_?" she probed, leaving her drink on the coffee table to shrug on her uniform top again.

"Baltar's dead. The blonde Cylon got out somehow and killed him. Then she tried to kill herself. I'm sorry to cut this thing short, but" he began to explain.

"_I understand. Let's go_," she interjected.

They reached Life Station to find Baltar's bed surrounded by confused nurses and a marine guard pointing a gun at the Six as she was strapped to a bed. "She injected him with one of our adrenaline samples and it caused a brain hemorrhage. Then she injected herself with too many random samples to count. We're not sure how she's still alive."

"Why did you do it?" Cottle demanded.

The Cylon squinted at him and whispered, "He betrayed me. I risked more for him than he'll ever know, and he betrayed me."

Cottle then faced Mason. "You'd better go. I've got to call the admiral and let him know what's happened."

_Unless it's been somehow elusive_

She nodded and reached out to grasp one of his hands. "_Thanks for dinner_."

He gave her a small smile. "Next time I intend to have the evening free if I have to hang a 'do not disturb' sign on the door and leave the phone off the hook."

After Mason left, Cottle called Adama. The admiral had let Roslin and Evie have his bed. He was reading on the couch when the phone rang. The book fell to the floor as he dashed toward the phone. "Adama. You're kidding. How? What's she doing now? I'll pass the word along, thanks Jack."

He picked up the book and placed it on the coffee table as he headed into his room. Then he placed a hand on Roslin's shoulder. She was not asleep yet and sat up slowly so as not to disturb Evie. She tried to keep the blanket around her shoulders. "Bill, what's wrong?"

"Jack just called me. Baltar's dead. The blonde Cylon escaped and the guards decided to chase her down instead of informing us immediately. She killed Baltar and then tried to kill herself. Jack's trying to keep her alive through the night so we don't have to see her immediately. Apparently she felt betrayed by him," Adama whispered, reaching over to pull the blanket back over her as it kept slipping.

"I've got a bad feeling about what's to come," Roslin admitted quietly.

"So do I, but we'll have to wait until morning to sort this out," he decided. She nodded and went back to bed, her thoughts swimming. As he tried to sleep on the couch, his mind would not let him sleep well either.

_How swiftly we choose it  
The sacred simplicity  
Of you at my side_

In the middle of the night, Evie jerked awake, scaring Roslin half to death. Her mother quickly sat up and switched on the light. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

She saw raw fear in the little girl's eyes. "Mommy, they're coming."

(My thanks to miss mcGonagle, Mariel3, Ceridwyn2, hadizha, and Tchitchina for reviewing :D)


	32. Survival Part I

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "She Looks To Me" is by Red Hot Chili Peppers, from ellymellyvids' montage.

Chapter 32: Survival Part I

Roslin eyed her daughter with concern. "Who's coming?"

"The shiny men are coming and they have a lot of ships," the girl relayed.

_Looks to me like heaven sent  
No lullaby kid no 5_

Adama had stirred and awakened when the light turned on. He stood and wandered into the bedroom. "What's going on? Is everyone alright?" he asked groggily.

Evie jumped off the bed and walked over to him. "Papa, the shiny men are coming in a bunch of ships."

_Any way you want to cut that cake  
She's dyin' from the likes of abandonment_

He scooped her up in his arms and sat down on the bed next to Roslin. "Did you have a dream to?" he asked her mother as he yawned.

"No. Our dreams don't always coincide. Is there any way to increase the scans we've been running?" Roslin questioned, blinking warily.

Adama sighed, still trying to wake up. He glanced over at the clock and his brow furrowed. It was not yet 0200 hours. "I have Echo and Athena on recon looking for Cylons. If they show up, we'll hear from them first."

_Lost in the valley without my horses  
She need somebody to hold_

"Bill, what about right now? What are we doing now?" Roslin pursued.

_It looks to me like heaven  
Sent this for your roughest night_

He slowly stood and rummaged through his closet for a uniform. "You two are going back to sleep. I'm heading up to CIC to check on things, and then I'm going back to bed too," he informed her.

_She looks to me  
She looks to me all right_

In CIC the night shift looked over at the admiral with surprise as he stepped into the room. "Is there a problem, sir?" one of the lieutenants on duty asked.

"No. Has there been any unusual activity in the area?" Adama inquired.

_Who's going to take you home  
And hold you when things aren't so bright_

The lieutenant glanced at his console and then out at the others as they did the same. Then he returned his gaze to the admiral. "No, sir. It looks pretty quiet for now."

"Thank you. You may resume your shift," Adama stated as he left the room. He left his uniform draped over his desk chair as he went back to sleep on the couch.

_She looks to me  
She looks to me all right_

While he and his family slept, Erika and Athena sat in a Raptor a few jumps away. "How long do we have to stay out here again?" Erika complained.

_It's a long walk down those tracks _

"Until we're sure that the Cylons won't show up," the other woman responded. 

_It's a dirty walk in_

Erika, like her blonde predecessor, was not a patient woman. She grabbed a deck of cards out of her back pocket. "Bet I can still beat you at Triad," she challenged.

_It's a dirty walk back_

Athena glanced at the dormant equipment and then back to the cards. "You're on."

_Gonna learn awe way too much_

Halfway through their third game, a red light on the console flashed. They both turned hastily to examine their readings. "Frak, they're out there," Erika concluded.

_Shootin' dope in the back_

Looking out of the window, Athena was glad that the Raptor was hidden behind a few large asteroids. "They're out here too," she mentioned.

_Of a Cadillac jack_

"We'd better get back to the Old Man," Erika stated. They secured themselves and initiated the FTL jump.

In the morning, Roslin woke before the alarm. She turned it off and slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Evie. Grabbing Adama's bathrobe, she entered the living room and found him snoring on the couch. _I really wish we'd have let you sleep last night_, she thought to herself. She sat down on the couch next to him. _I hate doing this, but we need to talk_.

_Slow down the road to my back 40  
She needs somebody to hold_

"Bill," she whispered. "Bill."

He blinked and then sat up, clearing his throat. "Laura? Is it 0530 yet?"

_Down in the south seas  
Give me your mouth please_

"It's a little before. How did your round with the night shift go?" she probed.

"They didn't find anything," he replied, gathering us uniform.

_Resuscitation  
Is the way I find these_

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Go get your shower. I'll make coffee." Before he left for the bathroom, they shared a gentle kiss.

_You give me minor  
Don't fade away_

While she was making coffee, someone knocked at the door. She sighed, still hearing the shower running, and walked to the door. Opening it, she found Tigh standing on the other side. At seeing her instead of Adama, his eye was as wide as a saucer and he dropped the report.

_Like an ocean liner  
Now_

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Colonel. It's really me standing here."

_Lost in the valley  
Without my horses_

He recovered himself to pick it up, but continued to stare incredulously. "It's about time. You're lucky there wasn't a betting pool about you and the Old Man. Where is he, anyway?"

_No one can tell me  
What my remorse is_

"In the shower. Would you like some coffee, Saul?" she offered as if meeting company in a bathrobe and nightgown was a regular occurrence.

"Sure. It's important, so I hope he hurries," Tigh responded. As she handed him a cup, they heard the water shut off.

_God made this lady_

Adama entered the room fully dressed a few minutes later. "Shower's yours, Laura," he mentioned as she handed him a cup of coffee.

_That stands before me_

"Saul's here," she told him as she moved past him to the bathroom.

_She need somebody to hold_

He looked over at his XO and accepted the report handed to him. "I would've told her too, but I just got here and she handed me a cup of coffee before you showed up," Tigh relayed.

Adama sat down, set his cup on the coffee table, and looked at the electronic report. "We need to tell the president about this as soon as she comes back. Are Echo and Athena safe?" the admiral inquired, to which Tigh nodded. "This is going to be a big mess if we don't prepare for this immediately. I'll need to talk to the general as well."

Hearing voices, Evie crept out of the bedroom and sleepily walked into the living room, holding her bear by one of its arms as she rubber her eyes with the back of her free hand. "Papa, what's going on? Is there breakfast yet?" she asked.

_She shows the world up with a smile_

He glanced over at Tigh, who had raised an eyebrow when he heard her call the admiral, 'Papa.' Adama picked up Evie and walked toward the kitchen. "This morning's gonna be a little hectic, so let's find something quick for you."

Among the supplies from Orion Station were boxes of dry cereal. He fixed her a bowl of cornflakes with milk. Then he returned to Tigh. "I hadn't realized it was this serious. They've moved in with you," the colonel commented with a smirk.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself," Adama grumbled.

"Of course. Now what are you going to do about the Cylons?" Tigh questioned.

Roslin had been curious about Tigh's visit and had taken a very quick shower that morning. She emerged and heard Tigh's last comment. "If you don't mind, I'd like to know what is going on," she asserted.

_And then she throws the fight_

Adama handed her the report. She read it and sank into the couch next to the admiral. "Gentlemen, ten ships is a lot. I hope someone's got a plan for this."

"We need to inform the captains and see that battle preparations are made. Mason should be warned as well," Adama told her.

"I'll handle that part. What are our defense options?" Roslin questioned.

_She looks to me she looks to me  
All right_

The admiral looked at the report instead of her. "At the moment, we only have the usual, nukes and Vipers."

Roslin closed her eyes and sat back, sighing heavily. "We need a strategy that lets them know two things: A) we mean business; and B) we have had enough. I'll keep Evie with me today."

_Down on the bathroom floor_

At that moment, the girl wandered out of the kitchen. "Mommy, Papa, it's time for breakfast. I ate, so you need eat," she insisted. Tigh left, as he was not needed at that point.

The president walked over to her daughter and hugged the girl. "You're right, sweetie."

After a quick breakfast, Adama headed to CIC while Roslin and Evie left for a meeting with the main colonial representatives to discuss the situation. First though, Roslin used Adama's office to contact Mason. The other woman had noticed odd activity on their long range sensors, but it was too far away to gather more detail.

_She's searching for another light_

"_Sir, Galactica is contacting us_," Lieutenant Red stated.

"_Put it through, Lieutenant_," Mason ordered.

Roslin appeared on the screen. "General, we've learned that the Cylons will be in the area soon and thought it would be wise to warn you," the president mentioned.

"_Thank you, Madame President. As I mentioned before, we have good firewalls to protect us, but we are examining a few other venues for our weapons. Do you have a timetable_?" the general inquired.

"Twelve hours if our luck holds," Roslin told her.

_She looks to me she looks to me  
All right_

Mason and her crew called in as many ships to the area as they could. She left Chang to speak with them while she, Traherne, and some of her engineers worked to amplify the device that had been used to nullify the blonde Cylon's programming. They managed to make it so that a signal could be broadcasted on a large scale, but had no way to test it.

"_Doctor, what do you think our odds are_?" she inquired.

"_If our backup gets here in time, precarious at best_," he said frankly.

"_I was afraid of that_," she mumbled.

The Cylons appeared sooner than expected though. "_Raise shields_!" Mason ordered as ten gigantic ships appeared.

Instead of first attacking the Colonial fleet, the Cylons fired on Mason's ship. "_Sir, they've wiped out primary systems_," Chang informed her.

"_Then it's a good thing our firewall is on the secondary system. How long until our backup arrives_?" she questioned.

"_No way to tell until we can restore primary systems_," Red relayed.

The viewscreen flickered on and Mason watched as Galactica fired on the Cylons. It was one old ship against ten. "_They don't even have shields! They're using armor_!" Mason observed.

"_So are the S.O.A.s_," Chang pointed out.

"_How long until we can get that modified signal reader online_?" Mason asked.

_She looks to me_

"_It looks like another twenty minutes, sir_," Red answered.

Mason swore under her breath. "_They might not have twenty minutes_."

_She looks to me_

Chang pointed out to the screen. "_They have smaller ships that seem to be attacking_."

_She looks to me all right_

"_Can we contact them_?" Mason requested.

"_I can only reach their sickbay_," Red replied.

"_I suppose that will have to do. This is General Mason. Major Cottle, can you hear me_?" she stated.

_She looks to me_

Pensively she counted each second in her head until she heard his voice. "Barely. There's a fire fight outside. What's this all about?"

"_We're all under attack. I can't reach the admiral and I need you to tell him that if he can hold them off for twenty minutes, we can get our weapons systems back online to help_," she relayed.

_She looks to me_

"I'll try," he responded. "Was there anything else?"

_She looks to me all right_

She wanted to say more, to say something meaningful, but there was no time. "_Major I… Come home with your shield or on it_," she finished.

(My thanks to caramelapples, Tchitchina, firstlady1408, Mariel3, miss mcGonagle, max72, and LilStrawbaby for reviewing :D)


	33. Survival Part II

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "One More Mile" is by Tom Mcrae, from Chemical Attraction's montage.

Chapter 33: Survival Part II

Cottle looked past the nurses, who rushed to prepare Life Station as the ship rocked. Just before Mason's call, the blonde Cylon had gone into a seizure fit, most likely from something she had shot into her system earlier. "You're out of time. Judgment is upon you," she whispered hoarsely. Then Mason had called, telling him what had happened.

_I feel the night is on your side_

He had tried to keep her on the line longer as the connection began to crackle. "Are they firing at your ship still?" his question did not get an answer. "General? Deidre I…" the connection fizzled out and he stood holding the phone in his hand. _She had better come out of this in one piece_. In the next instant, Cottle attempted to reach CIC.

_Shadows wait you when you rise_

Adama and Roslin stood around the table with Evie sitting on the floor holding her bear closely. They could see the battle on the screen. "It's just too many," Roslin whispered.

Adama looked back at her and took one of her hands in his. "We'll find a way to get through this."

_You hold the weight of every moment_

He heard the phone ring and picked it up. "Adama. Jack, what's going on?"

"Mason called me because she couldn't get to you," Cottle began. Behind him the Cylon in the bed writhed in pain.

"What was that?" the admiral questioned.

Cottle sighed heavily. "That was he sound of our Cylon prisoner giving up the ghost. She's dead."

"What did Mason want?" the other man pursued.

"She says that she can help if you can hold 'em off for another twenty minutes," the doctor relayed.

_Move no distance in your stride_

Adama sighed, watching the viewscreen as the ship shook again. "Twenty minutes is a long time."

Another hit rocked the ship as he hung up the phone. "Mommy, I'm scared!" Evie exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Roslin's legs while still holding the bear.

_And while you wallow in your wounds_

Roslin bent down and held the girl closely. "Shh, shh, everything will be alright, sweetie," she told her softly.

_You let the devils draw near_

The admiral was not a religious man, but the sad sight of Evie so obviously frightened tugged at his heart. With determination, he studied the viewscreen for any tactical advantage. He silently prayed that they could find a way to stall their enemy. Damage reports were pouring in from all over the fleet. Surprisingly, the answer came from Evie. She was completely silent for a moment and then left her mother's arms. She walked over to him and tugged on his pant leg.

"Papa, I need a pencil. And paper," she requested.

He patted her on the head. "Evie' now's not the best time for drawing."

"No, it's a sound. But I have to draw it," she tried to explain. "It'll slow down the shiny men."

_One more mile is all we have_

Adama glanced at Roslin and she nodded. Then he reached for the pencil that he kept in a drawer in the table. Roslin found a sheet of paper. Using the floor, Evie drew a shape. Adama recognized it as the conch shell she had drawn when she told them that Baltar had been communicating with the Cylons. Next she drew sound vibrations in a particular arrangement and the higher end of a musical scale. Then she handed the paper to him.

He studied it and showed it to Roslin and Tigh. "That's the frequency we isolated several days ago. And the other part looks like a harmonic sound," she recognized.

The admiral took the paper over to Gaeta. "Lieutenant, can you reproduce this sound and send it along the frequency?"

Gaeta examined the paper. "I think so, sir."

"We just need ten more minutes," Adama stated.

The crewman set up the frequency and broadcasted he sound on it. Then everyone in CIC waited, almost holding a collective breath.

_You got nothing to fear_

A full minute later, closed Cylon ship stopped firing at them, the glow of its engines diminishing. "They've had a total power failure," Helo pointed out, astonishment in his voice.

The second ship, along with the third, fourth, and fifth from them showed similar signs. After a pause in the fighting, General Mason's voice crackled through, becoming clearer as she spoke. "_I… don't know… what you did, but we can assist you now. We're going to scramble their programming and then fire on them_," she explained.

"Let's go for it," the admiral added.

Mason used the amplified device and the effects were immediate as the small Cylon raiders flew around in confusion, circling each other. A few more of the larger ships stopped firing. "_Sir, scanners show our ships arriving_," Red mentioned.

"_Finally, some good news_," Mason responded.

Then a transmission came. "_Sir, one of the ships is your brother's and he's contacting us_," Red stated.

Mason's brow furrowed as she looked over at the lieutenant. "_Put it through_."

_I feel the night is on your side_

The transmission was an audio-only message. "_Deidre, I noticed that you found Cormac's list. It wasn't very nice of you to have us hunted down and arrested. I should be shooting at you myself._"

"_Edward, I don't have much time to chat about your criminal activities right now_," she retorted.

_And I don't recognize this road_

"_No, you don't. What you need is my extra fire power. If you would keep the law off my back for a while, I could help you,"_ he bargained.

"_I don't have time for deals. Either help or don't. It doesn't change the fact that one of us is still a criminal_," she threw back, keeping her eyes on the viewscreen.

There was a pause on his end. "_I'll join your little fire fight, in hopes that my valiant efforts might lesson the sentence I'm running from_."

_We sleep all day and walk all night_

She turned to Chang as the transmission ended. "_Maybe this isn't so precarious after all_."

"_I never thought I would see the day when your brother would actually be helpful_," Chang added with a smirk.

"_He's only doing it in hopes that I'll put in a good word for him. Good deed or not, he's got an appointment with the law_," Mason responded.

As the Cylon fleet slowly became incapacitated, the other forces fired mercilessly. With the help of the United Earth Alliance, the Cylon fleet was decimated. At the battle's end, Edward Mason's ship zipped away after sending the _Odyssey_ one last message. "_Deidre, much as I enjoy a good fire fight, I'm not about to stick around and wait for the law. Knowing you, I wouldn't get a word in edgewise before I'm hauled off to prison. The next time we meet, I won't be so charitable_."

Mason glared at the console as the transmission ended. "_Edward doesn't do favors: he tries to find the advantage_."

_You're leading me too far from home_

"_That may be true, but the S.O.A.s have been stopped. I wonder how our new friends have fared_," Chang mused, drawing Mason out of her irked mood regarding her brother.

"_You're right_," she stated before contacting _Galactica_. A smile of relief appeared on her face as she was able to reach CIC. "_This is General Mason. Admiral, I hope you didn't suffer too much damage_," she began.

Adama had held Roslin's hand through the battle as she held onto Evie. They had reports of injuries when he had contacted Cottle to tell him that the battle was over. "We've been worse, General. It's good to hear from you. How is your ship?"

"_We've fully restored our primary systems. Can we offer any assistance to you_?" she pursued.

"We can still fly, but we're in need of repairs. I don't have the full reports of those yet. Also, Life Station is a little short of burn cream. If you could send over some, Major Cottle would appreciate it," he relayed.

Mason froze in response, slightly embarrassed and hoping that she had not been too transparent on a few matters. She took a breath to recover herself, having remained unflappable to the eyes of her crew. "_I will see to this matter immediately_."

The transmission ended and she looked to Chang. "_You have the bridge, Colonel. I'm heading over with a few supplies. Hopefully I'll be able to see if they need any more help_."

"_Yes sir_," he replied. Then he whispered, "_I'm sure their doctor will be glad to see you_." She glared at him, but then smiled wryly as she left.

In CIC, the crewmen were cleaning up mild messes. "Is it over?" Evie inquired.

Roslin nodded. "I think so, sweetie."

"Yay! No more shiny men!" she squealed, walking over to Adama. Adama picked her up.

He smiled at Roslin, then at Dee, as if keeping track of his family. As other vessels were contacting him, he listened for the ship that Lee was managing. "Lee's fine," Roslin assured him.

_And he says pour another drink_

A moment later, he received the transmission. "Apollo to Galactica Actual, this is the passenger ship _Argonaut _reporting in. We're a little singed, but our FTL drive is still working."

"Galactica Actual to Apollo, it's good to hear your voice, son," Adama stated.

There was a pause on the other end. "You too, dad. How's my wife?"

"She's fine. Looking forward to seeing you again," the admiral relayed.

"At least from the reports we've go so far, the fleet can still move," Tigh mentioned.

"Looks like it'll be at least two days before everyone's FTL drives are functioning again though," Adama added. He and his son ended the transmission, then he set Evie down.

"I'll take Evie back with me to your quarters. I'm sure I'll be getting calls from the Quorum regarding repairs and civilian placement," Roslin stated.

_And take a good look around_

"I'll be sure to send them your way," Adama responded.

She picked up Evie and walked over to him instead of leaving though. "I don't remember Cottle calling about burn cream."

The admiral maintained his stoic façade. "He didn't. I figured that she would want to know that he was alright."

Roslin let a mischievous grin appear on her face. "Somewhere under that gruff exterior lurks a romantic," she teased quietly before leaving the room.

Mason had taken a shuttle to Galactica and had two marines bring two crates of burn cream with them as the group headed to Life Station. She reached the door carrying her coffee thermos, but stopped in her tracks, seeing the intense bustle of activity. Nurses and doctors raced around the room, carrying various supplies to injured patients. Some of them had blood on their white coats.

_One more mile is all we have_

Her eyes scanned the room for Cottle and found him on the phone. "We've got a bunch of injuries, but nothing life-threatening. You told her what? This ought to be interesting," he muttered, hanging up the phone.

She approached him, the marines navigation the organized chaos behind her. "_Major_," she began. He turned quickly to see her, trying not to stare, hoping that the relief he felt was not evident in his face. "_I've brought the extra burn cream that the admiral said you had requested_."

_Until the lost become the found_

"Thank you," he said to her. Then he directed his attention toward the marines. "You can set those over there," he motioned toward an empty area by the wall. They set the crates down and left.

_And by the firelight I see footprints_

"_I brought some coffee too_," she mentioned.

He glanced down at his once white lab coat, now colored with splotches of blood. "I guess I could use a break."

She followed him into his office and poured him a cup. "_My brother actually came to help, just long enough so as not to be caught be the law yet_," she told Cottle, handing him a cup.

"When the transmission broke off, I… was a little worried," he admitted as he accepted the cup. "Is this the good stuff?"

Smirking, she nodded and took a step closer to him. "_Would it be here if it wasn't? I won't give you anything that I wouldn't drink, and as a connoisseur of coffee, I never drink bad blends_."

He took a sip and smiled appreciatively. "You've got that right. Why did you bring burn cream?"

As she stretched out one arm and leaned against his desk, she raised an eyebrow. "_The admiral said that you were short_," she repeated.

_Shadows circle on the floor_

"I'm not," Cottle replied.

She blinked in thought. "_Then why would he_-"

"Because sometimes he's just too damned observant," Cottle retorted. "You didn't have to bring those to me personally, you know."

"_I had to make sure that my favorite witchdoctor was alright_," she teased with a wry grin.

He drained his cup. "I didn't need the burn cream, but I did need the coffee. It's been a long day."

"_What's the blood on your coat from_?" she probed, trying not to look too closely at it.

_And everything is so familiar_

Unbuttoning his coat, he folded it and set it at one end of a counter. "Young man came in with a compound fracture. I wasn't too much trouble to fix, but those kinds of injuries can be messy."

When she put a hand behind her neck, he realized that it was more of a nervous gesture this time instead of alleviating tension. "_I was worried it was something a bit more_…" she trailed off, unable to find the right words.

_We have come this way before_

He could see her confidence wavering for a moment. However, his was too. "Deidre, I still owe you a decent evening," he began.

_Do I have the will  
Do I_

A smile crossed her face. Whatever she was missing had returned to her. "_I'll make the 'do not disturb sign_,'" she remarked. Then she straightened herself and moved closer to him. "_Actually, I believe it's my turn to make dinner, Jack_."

_One more mile_

Before he fully realized what was about to happen, she reached up and grabbed his collar, yanking him down to her level. Then she kissed him passionately. At first he was too shocked to respond. Then she felt his hands on the small of her back. He deepened the kiss and they continued for a while. They broke apart for air, neither of them daring to speak for a moment.

_One more mile_

Finally he grinned, knowing what to say. "Forget seven, eight, and nine from our list. _That_ was a ten."

_Do I have the will  
Do I_

She chuckled softly, blushing as she backed away enough to see his face. "_Yes, it was. I should be heading back to my ship_."

He nodded, sighing. "And I have to get back to my job. But first," he paused.

"_You want more coffee_?" she inquired.

_One more mile_

There was mischief in his eyes as he shook his head. "No. One more of these though, now that I could work with," he said before pulling her back for another passionate kiss.

_One more mile_

She left Life Station a few minutes later, trying not to smile as she walked through the corridors. Cottle returned to his work and wondered why the nurses kept snickering. He groaned when he caught his reflection in one of the glass cabinet doors. "Why do women have to wear lipstick?" he complained to himself, wiping his mouth off.

(My thanks to Tchitchina, Ceridwyn2, miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, LilStrawbaby, and max72 for reviewing :D)


	34. Silver lining

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "Hope Has A Place," is by Enya, from billyredocean's montage.

Chapter 34: Silver lining

Before returning to her ship, Mason stopped by CIC to find the admiral, entering not long after the president had left. "_I wanted to see for myself what your traveling status was. If your ships can match our higher engine speeds, we should be able to reach Mars in two days. If not, then it'll probably take two weeks_," she explained.

_One look at love  
And you may see_

He folded his hands in front of him. "We need a few days to repair things. Have you ever wondered why our ships seem to pop in here and there?"

_It weaves a web  
Over mystery,_

"Actually, I had figured that it was a different sort of engine. Our ships have two engines, one for lower speeds and then one for what some of us call turbo speeds," Mason stated.

_All ravelled threads  
Can rend apart_

Adama glanced at a few more reports on his table and then turned back to her. "We have what we call an FTL drive and when our ships disappear, it's called a jump. We have two sets of coordinates and when the first set is reached, we input the next set and 'jump' over there, so to speak."

The general raised an eyebrow. "_Are you telling me that if I give you the astral coordinates to Mars, you can get there in a few jumps_?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," Adama stated.

_For hope has a place in the lovers heart.  
Hope has a place in a lovers heart_

"_In that case, I can get you the coordinates now. You can repair what you need to and we'll meet you there_," Mason suggested. The admiral agreed and she contacted her ship, first receiving the coordinates and then passing them off to one of Adama's crewmen. As she was about to leave CIC, she turned back for a moment. "_By the way, Admiral, Major Cottle didn't need any burn cream_."

_Whispering world,  
A sigh of sighs,_

Adama tried to answer as stoically as possible. "I take it you helped him with what he did need?"

"_Yes_," she answered plainly with a smirk.

_The ebb and the flow  
Of the ocean tides,_

Once she had left, Adama returned to the business of trying to orchestrate repairs. As he was on the phone with Tyrol listening to the chief talk about repairs for the Vipers, the admiral heard whispering. He turned to look at his crew, but the whispering had stopped. As he spoke with an engineer, the whispering returned. He hung up the phone and faced his crew, who all wore sober expressions at that point.

_One breath, one word  
May end or may start_

"Would someone kindly tell me what all the whispering is about?" he requested.

Helo stepped forward. "Sir, we're just wondering why Roslin's daughter called you 'Papa.'"

_A hope in a place of the lovers heart,_

Adama took a deep breath and folded his hands in front of him. "Much as I hate adding to crew gossip, it'll get out of hand if I don't give you the facts. It's complicated, but the best explanation I can give you is that I've… adopted her."

"What about Roslin?" Gaeta dared to ask.

_Hope has a place in a lovers heart._

The admiral's usual stoic expression gave way to a smirk, but then the mask was back in place. "That's a story best left for another day, and not to be discussed any further," he paused and looked at the eyes of every man and woman in CIC. "Do I make myself clear?"

There was a collective "Yes, sir."

After two days, the FTL drives were functioning and the ships had been repaired enough to take the jumps. By Mason's coordinates, it would take three jumps to reach Mars. Roslin stood next to Adama in CIC as Dee baby-sat Evie in the admiral's quarters. As the fleet prepared to jump, Roslin crossed her arms, almost impatiently.

Adama looked over at her. "Nervous?"

_Look to love  
You may dream,_

She breathed a sigh. "I little. I never thought we'd get this close to finding a real home. I knew it was the goal, but what happens now?"

_And if it should leave  
Then give it wings._

"Let's work on getting there first," he reminded.

Her arms relaxed and she rested her hands on the table just before the jump. One of his hands covered hers and it was still there when the room came back into focus. Two more jumps later, they were staring at not only Mason's ship again, but also a brown-green planet. Once red, the terraforming process had caused the color of Mars to change, though the natural oxidation in the soil remained to the extend that the land masses were a reddish brown shade. The oceans, instead of being blue, were a shade of green.

_But if such a love  
Is meant to be;_

Adama had yet to let go of Roslin's hand as Mason contacted them. "_Admiral, Madame President, welcome to your new home. I'm glad to see that your method of traveling was successful_."

"So are we. It's good to finally be here. Is there any chance that we might be able to visit Earth, even though we can't live there?" Rosin questioned.

_Hope is home, and the heart is free._

"_Yes. In fact, Earth's new president would like to meet you_," Mason told them. After making the two-day journey to Mars, Mason was notified about the election results. Cormac had been arrested and forced to drop out of the running. Vivian Mendoza ran in his place, having already proven her integrity. She had one the election and was looking forward to meeting the interstellar guests.

_Under the heavens  
We journey far,_

As Mason's transmission ended, Adama took both of Roslin's hands in his. "Laura, we finally made it. We brought our people to a good home. I want to share my home with you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

_On roads of life  
Were the wanderers_

Of all the emotions that she could see in his eyes, she noticed the uncertainty. After all they had been through, he was still unsure of her answer. Tears glistened in her eyes as she grinned back. "Yes, Bill. I will marry you."

_So let love rise,  
So let love depart,_

He pulled her closer and their lips met for a sound kiss. Shortly, they heard applause. Both were blushing as they faced his crew. "I trust you all to keep this to yourselves for now," the admiral instructed.

_Let hope have a place in the lovers heart  
Hope has a place in the lovers heart._

"We will, but it's gonna be a hard secret for you two to keep, especially with that kid calling you, 'Papa,'" Tigh reminded with a smirk.

It would take several weeks to acquire the necessary building materials and construct homes for everyone. While preparations were made, Roslin and Adama were able to meet with President Vivian Mendoza aboard Mason's ship.

_Look to love_

"_Madame President, I'm glad to finally meet you. I can't say that I believe this 'lost tribe' theory of yours, but it is refreshing to meet other humans. Admiral, I trust that you are receiving proper provisions to settle_?" Mendoza asked with a polite smile after shaking both their hands.

_And you may dream,_

"We are, Ma'am. Thank you for your concern," he responded.

_And if it should leave_

"It is also nice to meet you, Madame President. Do you know yet how Mars is to be represented politically? Also, are we allowed to maintain our own military?" Roslin questioned.

_Then give it wings._

Mendoza smiled broadly. "_I thought you would ask that. Since your people will be the majority of settlers on Mars, you may keep your own political system. You will be regarded as a country and will be asked to join our United Nations Council, or UNC. It was originally the UN, but we have revised a few things over the centuries. The UNC is a group of people representing the different nations of Earth. Recently we have decided to add our new interstellar colonies as other nations._"

"_And their military_?" Mason pursued.

_But if such a love_

Mendoza perched on the edge of Mason's desk_. As for the military, if you would be willing to share your, what was it… jump drive technology with us, then you are more than welcome to keep your military. It belongs to you and we see no reason to disband it_."

_Is meant to be;_

"You're very kind, Madame President. I have to ask this, when will we be allowed to visit Earth?" Adama inquired.

_Hope is home, and the heart is free_

"_Come now if you like. Some policies are still being arranged. A recent suggestion was brought to my attention, that If one of your people married someone from Earth, then that person could stay on Earth, instead of just visiting_," Mendoza replied, noting that Mason was looking away. "_Own up to your idea, General. I thought it was a good one. It just needs approval from the World Congress_."

"_I thought it sounded fair_," Mason remarked with a small smile.

_Hope is home, and the heart is free._

(My thanks to hadizha, max72, miss mcGonagle, caramelapples, Tchitchina, Ceridwyn2, and LilStrawbaby for reviewing :D)

(A/N: One more chapter to go!)


	35. Tapestry of life

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. Evelyn is mine. "If We Hold On Together" is by Diana Ross, from "The Land Before Time."

Chapter 35: Tapestry of life

It had been two months since the Colonial fleet reached Mars. President Mendoza had granted shore leave to Mason and her crew, along with the first two shifts of Colonials. On a sunny afternoon in March, Mason stood in her kitchen, trying to decide what to fix for dinner. Suddenly her dog barked just before someone knocked on her door. She opened it, her eyes widening in surprised to find Cottle there.

"Took me a while to figure out which cabin was yours, but your neighbors were helpful," he told her with a grin.

_Don't lose your way  
With each passing day_

She pulled him inside and closed the door so that the cold breeze stayed outdoors. "_Not all my neighbors have translating devices. How did you talk to them_?"

"I just asked, '_Mason lives here_?' and they pointed me in the right direction," he explained.

_You've come so far  
Don't throw it away_

"_You've resorted to learning English then_?" she questioned as he took off his dark green coat and hung it on the coat rack by the door.

_Live believing  
Dreams are for weaving_

"Call it a work in progress," he remarked.

She reached for one of his hands, glad to see him. As she touched it, she frowned though. "_Honestly Major, don't they teach to you wear gloves? You'll get frostbite and then I can't show you around_," she scolded.

_Wonders are waiting to start  
Live your story_

He chuckled at her concern. "What makes you think there's anything worth seeing up here besides you?" he remarked gruffly.

_Faith, hope & glory  
Hold to the truth in your heart_

At that moment, from behind her he saw something large and black barreling down the hallway. It charged past Mason and pounced on Cottle, pushing him to the floor as he dropped his duffle bag. Then it licked his face relentlessly. Mason laughed quietly at the dog; a cross between a few breeds gave it the appearance of an all-black sheepdog.

_If we hold on together_

"_Some watchdog you are. He greets everyone like that. Jack, meet Rudy, number seven on our list_," she explained, squatting to pet the dog, coaxing it him away from his latest victim.

_I know our dreams will never die_

"Are you gonna help me up, or join me down here?" Cottle grumbled.

Mason stood and extended a hand to him. As she pulled him up, his left arm found its way around her waist. A moment later his lips found hers for a passionate kiss. "_Why didn't you tell me you'd be on Earth with the first shift_?"

_Dreams see us through to forever_

They kissed again. "I was here for a lecture on some of the new medical equipment your people sent me. Seeing you was just coincidence."

_Where clouds roll by  
For you and I_

She swatted his arm and glared at him. "_You're incorrigible_."

"Yeah, and these mountains of yours are number eight," he relayed.

"_I'm glad you're here to see them_," she replied earnestly. Then she backed away and walked toward the kitchen. "_I was just going to start dinner. Interested_?"

_Souls in the wind  
Must learn how to bend_

"It's real food. As long as you don't have algae, I'll show up for dinner," he added.

She gestured toward an oak chair at her kitchen table and he took a seat. Then she opened cabinets looking for pasta. "_I know they're here somewhere_-" the beeping of a flat screen on the wall interrupted her. She walked over to hit and pressed a button. A woman with curly graying blonde hair that Cottle had asked directions from appeared on the screen. "_Martha, how are things_?"

"_Just fine, Deidre. It's good to see you back. I've been feeding Rudy for you_," the other woman remarked.

"_Thank you_," Mason responded.

"_I wanted to ask you if your boyfriend got there alright, well, I think that's what he was. His English wasn't too good and I'm just making sure he didn't get lost_," the woman explained.

_Seek out a star  
Hold on to the end_

Mason cleared her throat and tried not to blush. "_Yes, he's here, thank you_."

Martha smiled knowingly. "_I'll leave you two alone then_," she stated before the screen went black.

_Valley, mountain  
There is a fountain_

Reaching for the plastic container holding the squiggles of pasta, Mason turned back to Cottle. "_Funny thing about neighbors, the happen to know everything, whether you say anything or not_."

Cottle shrugged. "It's like a Battlestar, small town mentality."

Using the noodles, she cooked Fettuccini with Alfredo sauce and shrimp. As she cleaned up the dishes, she spotted his duffle bag still by the front door. "_You know you're staying here tonight. Guest room's left of the bathroom_," she told him, pointing over her shoulder.

He left the table to deposit his duffle bag in the guest room, then returned to her. "I'm surprised you wouldn't have some sort of auto-cleaning device for dishes."

_Washes our tears all away  
Words are swaying_

"_I like doing them by hand. It's relaxing_," she retorted.

When he stepped out of her view, she figured that he was sitting down until she felt his hands on her shoulders. As she washed the silverware, his hands massaged her neck and shoulders. Then one hand let her hair down. "You're right. Doing things with your hands is relaxing," he could not resist saying.

She chuckled and turned to face him. "_You, Major, are still a devious man. But I believe having you here is number nine on the list. When your people are settled on Mars, do you think you might retire_?"

"That would depend on where I might be retiring to," he volleyed.

"_I know of this cabin, up in the mountains. If you can put up with an enthusiastic dog and a grouchy general, you're welcome to stay_," she relayed, kissing him softly.

She stepped away to put away some of what she had washed. He let the water out of the sink and wiped off the counter. Then Rudy came over and sniffed his shoes before trying to knock him over again. He pet the dog and it sat at his feet. "I know that my people are only allowed to visit, with one exception, marriage. Was that some sort of a proposal?"

Mason turned toward him and crossed her arms. "_Anything's possible these days_," she teased with a smirk.

_Someone is praying  
Please let us come home to stay_

They sat together, watching the wedding of the admiral and the president. The crowd in attendance took up most of the plateau overlooking the white shore of Hawaii. A Colonial priest was residing over the ceremony. Adama wore his dress grays, still looking dashing as ever. Roslin wore a white wedding gown from Earth with a sweetheart neckline and a flowing skirt. Instead of a veil, around her head was a crow of white plumeria flowers that Dee had taught Evie how to weave together.

_If we hold on together_

Though both were smiling, each knew the other well enough to see the nerves. However, the priest seemed even more nervous than they were. It was the first time he had ever performed a marriage ceremony and his hands shook as he held the book. "We m-meet here t-t-today for the j-joining of two lives," he began.

"Looks like we're in for a long day, Deidre," Dr. Cottle whispered.

General Cottle smirked and nodded. "_I sincerely hope he doesn't pass out_."

_I know our dreams will never die_

Lee stood next to his father as the best man. Dee was Roslin's made of honor and Tigh was watching Evie. Lee leaned over toward the priest and whispered, "If you can calm down, I'll buy you a drink after this. Take a deep breath and be glad that this is a wedding and not a funeral."

_Dreams see us through to forever_

_Where clouds roll by  
For you and I_

The priest took a deep breath and everything felt clearer. "Please join hands," he said to Roslin and Adama. "Let the bond between you never be severed. Let the Gods bless you. Do you, Admiral William Adama, take this woman to be your wife, in famine and harvest, in sickness and in health, for as long as there is breath in you, that you may share your troubles as well as your triumphs?"

_When we are out there in the dark_

"I will," he said, his voice gravely with emotion.

"So say we all," the priest declared.

"So say we all," everyone in attendance responded.

_We'll dream about the sun_

Roslin smiled back at him before the priest addressed her. "And do you, President Laura Roslin, take this man to be your husband, in famine and harvest, in sickness and in health, for as long as there is breath in you, that you may share your troubles as well as your triumphs?"

_In the dark we'll feel the light_

"I will," she answered.

"So say we all," the priest repeated.

The others once again added, "So say we all."

"By the power vested in me, I new pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. William Adama, go, cherish each other, that the days ahead of you will find prosperity," he ended.

_Warm our hearts, everyone_

Adama grinned, his smile almost as wide as Roslin's. In a quick move, he pulled her to him for a short, passionate kiss. "So say we all," Tigh shouted.

"So say we all," everyone echoed back.

Evie ran from her chair up to them as they were walking back down the isle. Adama scooped her up into his arms. "Papa, what happens now?" she asked.

He looked at Roslin for a moment. "First we're all going to lunch. Then you'll spend a few days with Mr. Lee and Mrs. Dee while your mother and I spend some time together, just the two of us."

"Why can't I come with?" she questioned.

Roslin picked up the conversation. "Sweetie, we'll still be on Earth. The three of us, that is, you, me, and your father, will spend a full week exploring Hawaii. When people get married, they spend a while just as the two of them with no one else. It's… tradition."

"Oh," Evie responded. She thought quietly to herself as they walked over to the banquet table, which had been set up outdoors. "Mommy, when I get married, I don't want to go far away. I might get lost."

Leaning toward her, Rosin kissed her daughter's forehead. "Sweetie, you've got a long way to go before that happens. You don't need to worry about it now."

When it was time to cut the wedding cake, they followed a tradition that Mason had told them about. Roslin shoved a piece into Adama's mouth. Evie watched, confused. "Why can't Papa eat his own cake? Why does he have to have yours?"

Everyone who could hear her little voice laughed. Adama shoved a piece into Roslin's mouth. "Because she gets to have my cake," he replied.

"Then whose cake do I get?" Evie continued, completely confused by the tradition.

The adults laughed and Roslin handed the girl a piece of cake on a plate with a fork. "You get your own cake. Only the bride and groom get each other's cake," her mother explained.

Six months after the Colonial fleet had come to the Milky Way Galaxy and settled on Mars, Adama and Roslin sat outside of the hospital room, waiting for word on Dee and their new grandchild. "But Mommy, I don't understand. Why am I an auntie?" Evie questioned.

Roslin sighed as Adama paced. "Sweetie, Mr. Lee is Bill's son. That makes him your brother, as we've told you before. Your brother's child will be your niece or nephew. That means you're an aunt."

_If we hold on together_

She hopped down from Roslin's lap and followed Adama as he paced. "Is this one of those 'tradition' things?"

He stopped and mussed her hair, smiling. "Something like that."

A moment later a nurse poked her head out of the door. "You can come in now."

The three entered to find Dee holding a small bundle in her arms and Lee grinning like Adama had not seen in years. The younger man looked up at the others. "Dad, Laura, Evie, this is William Zachary Adama. Meet your grandson."

_I know our dreams will never die_

Adama was speechless. Roslin smiled and touched Lee's forearm. "It's a good name."

"He's not my grandson. He's my nephew. I'm an auntie, Mr. Lee," Evie quickly informed him.

The admiral recovered his voice. "Yes, it is a good name. I'm proud of you," he paused and looked at Dee as well, "both of you."

_Dreams see us through to forever_

"And how are you feeling?" Roslin asked Dee.

"Like I road too many 'G's in a Viper. Really tired, but I'm alright," Dee responded. "Would you like to hold the baby?"

"If you don't mind," Rosin responded. She carefully accepted the infant, whom she held gently in her arms without waking him. Then she handed him to Adama.

_As high as souls can fly_

"He's small," Evie exclaimed. "Are all babies small?"

"For the most part," her mother remarked. Knowing the way in which her daughter asked questions, she had a suspicion about where the conversation was headed.

"Where do babies come from?" Evie inquired. She was now four and felt that she wanted to know everything about the world.

_The clouds roll by_

Roslin faced Adama with worry, but he responded with a calm smile. "We'll tell you when you're older," he told the girl.

"But I am older," Evie protested.

"We'll tell you when you're married," Roslin amended. Everyone in the room laughed. Evie shrugged and decided that some questions could wait until tomorrow.

_For you and I_

(I have enjoyed writing this story, as well as choosing the songs. I will miss these characters. Thank you to those of you who have been along since the beginning. It's been quite a journey. My thanks to Cerdiwyn2, Mariel3, max72, LilStrawbaby, and Tchitchina for reviewing :D)


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